Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026

Image Processing Protocol for the Analysis of the Diffusion and Cluster Size of Membrane Receptors by Fluorescence Microscopy
Published on: April 9, 2019
Translational diffusion coefficients of macromolecules
R Rodríguez Schmidt1, J G Hernández Cifre, J García de la Torre
1Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Química, Universidad de Murcia, Spain.
Abstract:
The calculation of the translational diffusion coefficient of a single flexible polymer chain in dilute solution can be basically addressed either a) within the Einstein theory (calculating the time autocorrelation function of the macromolecule center of mass), or b) within the Kirkwood and Riseman theory for irreversible processes of macromolecules in solution. The equations of the latter theory can be solved employing different approximations that give rise to different values of the diffusion coefficient. In general, the value of the diffusion coefficient obtained through the different theories and approaches varies slightly depending on polymer features like flexibility. In this paper, we evaluate the most common procedures to compute the diffusion coefficient of flexible macromolecules via computer simulation and the difference between the values obtained.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Protein Diffusion in the Membrane
Diffusion
Diffusion
Passive Diffusion: Overview and Kinetics
When administered orally, drugs establish a substantial concentration gradient between the gastrointestinal (GI) lumen and the bloodstream, expediting their diffusion into...
Diffusion on Chromatography Columns
Longitudinal diffusion occurs when the solute molecules in the mobile phase diffuse from the more concentrated center of the chromatographic band to the more dilute regions on either side, both towards and against the flow direction. This...
Drug Absorption Mechanism: Passive Membrane Transport

