Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Pulling Membrane Nanotubes from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles
Published on: December 7, 2017
Equilibrium theory and geometrical constraint equation for two-component lipid bilayer vesicles
1Department of Engineering Mechanics, School of Aerospace, FML, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China. yinyj@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
Abstract:
This paper aims at the general mathematical framework for the equilibrium theory of two-component lipid bilayer vesicles. To take into account the influences of the local compositions together with the mean curvature and Gaussian curvature of the membrane surface, a general potential functional is constructed. We introduce two kinds of virtual displacement modes: the normal one and the tangential one. By minimizing the potential functional, the equilibrium differential equations and the boundary conditions of two-component lipid vesicles are derived. Additionally, the geometrical constraint equation and geometrically permissible condition for the two-component lipid vesicles are presented. The physical, mathematical, and biological meanings of the equilibrium differential equations and the geometrical constraint equations are discussed. The influences of physical parameters on the geometrically permissible phase diagrams are predicted. Numerical results can be used to explain recent experiments.
More Related Videos
10:58SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy
Published on: August 24, 2016
12:18Assembly of Cell Mimicking Supported and Suspended Lipid Bilayer Models for the Study of Molecular Interactions
Published on: August 3, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer
Fluid Mosaic Model
Assembly of the Lipid Bilayer in the ER
A large chunk of any biological membrane is composed of phospholipids. These lipids have a heterogeneous distribution across different subcellular organelles and even between...
Constraints and Statical Determinacy
Stability of Equilibrium Configuration: Problem Solving
Problem-solving in the context of the stability of equilibrium configuration...
Rigid Body Equilibrium Problems - I