Dresden 2006 – scientific programme
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AKB: Biologische Physik
AKB 2: Membranes: Conformations and Dynamics
AKB 2.1: Talk
Monday, March 27, 2006, 10:30–10:45, ZEU 260
Stresses and torques in biological fluid membranes — •Martin Michael Müller1, Markus Deserno1, and Jemal Guven2 — 1Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, D-55128 Mainz, Germany — 2Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, UNAM, Apdo. Postal 70-543, 04510 México D.F., Mexico
Forces in fluid membranes can be described with the help of the covariant surface stress tensor, in analogy to classical elasticity theory. Additionally, torques can be written in terms of the surface torque tensor.
In the context of interface mediated interactions, such as the interaction between protein inclusions in a lipid membrane, it has proven advantageous to use this approach: nonlinear expressions for the force and, in some cases, also the sign of the interaction could be derived [1]. The condition of torque balance imposes further restrictions on the solution. Other complications, such as a pressure difference between the two sides of the membrane or a lipid tilt, are readily included in the formalism.
[1] M. M. Müller, M. Deserno, and J. Guven, Europhys. Lett. 69, 482 (2005).