Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Pulling Membrane Nanotubes from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles
06:26

Pulling Membrane Nanotubes from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles

Published on: December 7, 2017

Pulling nanotubes from supported bilayers.

Jonathan W Armond1, Julie V Macpherson, Matthew S Turner

  • 1Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.

Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|June 10, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Researchers measured the force needed to pull nanoscale tubes from lipid bilayers using atomic force microscopy (AFM). They found membrane tension approached rupture during dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) bilayer tube formation.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Reply to Sun: Behavior affects epidemic outcomes.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Visualizing Metal Nanoparticle Electrochemical Dissolution Atom by Atom.

Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026
Same author

Solvent-Dependent Carbon-to-Metal Hydrogen Atom Transfer Reactivity of a Square Planar Rhodium(II) Alkynyl Complex.

Organometallics·2026
Same author

Multiscale Analysis of Electrochemical Dealloying of Bimetallic Nanoparticles to Tune Catalytic Activity.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2026
Same author

The theory of epidemics with altruism.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Self-organized social distancing during epidemics when the force of infection depends on susceptible and infectious behavior.

Mathematical biosciences and engineering : MBE·2026

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Materials Science
  • Surface Chemistry

Background:

  • Supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) are crucial models for cell membranes.
  • Understanding membrane mechanics, including tube formation, is vital for cell biology and nanotechnology.
  • Atomic force microscopy (AFM) enables nanoscale force measurements on biological membranes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure the force required to form nanoscale tubes from SLBs via pulling.
  • To derive a theoretical force-distance relationship for tube formation from SLBs.
  • To determine key membrane properties like tube radius, elongation force, and surface tension.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized atomic force microscopy (AFM) to apply pulling forces to supported lipid bilayers (SLBs).

More Related Videos

Spontaneous Formation and Rearrangement of Artificial Lipid Nanotube Networks as a Bottom-Up Model for Endoplasmic Reticulum
07:49

Spontaneous Formation and Rearrangement of Artificial Lipid Nanotube Networks as a Bottom-Up Model for Endoplasmic Reticulum

Published on: January 22, 2019

Fabricating Multi-Component Lipid Nanotube Networks Using the Gliding Kinesin Motility Assay
05:16

Fabricating Multi-Component Lipid Nanotube Networks Using the Gliding Kinesin Motility Assay

Published on: July 26, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Pulling Membrane Nanotubes from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles
06:26

Pulling Membrane Nanotubes from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles

Published on: December 7, 2017

Spontaneous Formation and Rearrangement of Artificial Lipid Nanotube Networks as a Bottom-Up Model for Endoplasmic Reticulum
07:49

Spontaneous Formation and Rearrangement of Artificial Lipid Nanotube Networks as a Bottom-Up Model for Endoplasmic Reticulum

Published on: January 22, 2019

Fabricating Multi-Component Lipid Nanotube Networks Using the Gliding Kinesin Motility Assay
05:16

Fabricating Multi-Component Lipid Nanotube Networks Using the Gliding Kinesin Motility Assay

Published on: July 26, 2021

  • Calculated equilibrium membrane shapes during AFM pulling experiments.
  • Derived a general force-distance relationship based on theoretical membrane mechanics.
  • Compared experimental data with theoretical models to extract membrane parameters.

    • Main Results:

    • Quantified the force-distance relationship for nanoscale tube formation from SLBs.
    • Determined the tube radius and the force required for tube elongation.
    • Calculated the surface tension of the lipid bilayer during tube formation.
    • Observed that for dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) SLBs, the tension approached membrane rupture levels.

    Conclusions:

    • The study provides a method to determine membrane tension and tube properties from AFM pulling experiments.
    • The findings indicate that significant forces, near the rupture limit, are involved in forming nanoscale lipid tubes.
    • This research contributes to the understanding of lipid bilayer mechanics and stability at the nanoscale.