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Biophysical Journal 50: 565-572 (1986)
© 1986 the Biophysical Society

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Elastic Torques about Membrane Edges

A Study of Pierced Egg Lecithin Vesicles

Silke Lorenzen, Rolf-M. Servuss and Wolfgang Helfrich

ABSTRACT

The shape of mechanically pierced giant vesicles is studied to obtain the elastic modulus of Gaussian curvature of egg lecithin bilayers. It is argued that such experiments are governed by an apparent modulus, Formulaapp, not the true modulus of Gaussian curvature, Formula. A theory of Formulaapp is proposed, regarding the pierced bilayer vesicle as a closed monolayer vesicle. The quantity measured, i.e. Formulaapp/{kappa}, where {kappa} is the rigidity, agrees satisfactorily with the theory. We find Formulaapp = -(1.9 ± 0.3) · 10-12 erg (on the basis of {kappa} = (2.3 ± 0.3) · 10-12 erg). The result may have implications for bilayer fusion.




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D. Marsh
Lateral Pressure Profile, Spontaneous Curvature Frustration, and the Incorporation and Conformation of Proteins in Membranes
Biophys. J., December 1, 2007; 93(11): 3884 - 3899.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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Copyright © 1986 by the Biophysical Society.