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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 31: Posters: Membranes and Vesicles

BP 31.14: Poster

Donnerstag, 25. März 2010, 17:15–20:00, Poster B1

Conformation of adhesion clusters — •Daniel Schmidt¹, Udo Seifert¹, and Ana-Suncana Smith^1,2 — ¹II. Institut für theoretische Physik, Universität Stuttgart — ²Institut für Theoretische Physik I, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

We model domains of ligand-receptor bonds that form when a membrane adheres to a functionalized substrate. The aim is to determine the optimum organization of bonds when the bonds maintain lateral mobility. The bonds are modeled as harmonic springs that are organized on a hexagonal or central hexagonal lattice. The membrane is described by the Helfrich free energy in the Monge representation whereas the nonspecific interaction with a wall is modeled by a harmonic well set at a well defined distance from the wall. The results of our modeling emerge from a variation of the total free energy, and provide both, the optimum membrane conformation and the appropriate spring deformation. We find that depending on both, the stiffness of the membrane and the springs there are three possible outcomes:

(i) densely packed domains when the bonds try to minimize their distance,

(ii) dilute clusters of bonds where optimum distance between the bonds is found,

(iii) unstable domains.

Such results are in good agreement with recently performed experiments on avidin carrying vesicles that adhere to neutravidin carrying substrates.