Fission of Lipid-Vesicles by Membrane Phase Transitions in Thermal Convection.

ABSTRACT: Unilamellar lipid vesicles can serve as model for protocells. We present a vesicle fission mechanism in a thermal gradient under flow in a convection chamber, where vesicles cycle cold and hot regions periodically. Crucial to obtain fission of the vesicles in this scenario is a temperature-induced membrane phase transition that vesicles experience multiple times. We model the temperature gradient of the chamber with a capillary to study single vesicles on their way through the temperature gradient in an external field of shear forces. Starting in the gel-like phase the spherical vesicles are heated above their main melting temperature resulting in a dumbbell-deformation. Further downstream a temperature drop below the transition temperature induces splitting of the vesicles without further

SUBMITTER: Kudella PW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6906453 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature