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Different physical properties of lipids and proteins allow them to localize and form distinct islands or domains in the membrane. Some membrane domains are formed due to protein-protein interactions, whereas others are formed due to the presence of specific lipids such as sphingolipids and sterols—for example, large proteins, such as bacteriorhodopsin, aggregate and create distinct domains.
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The formation of a colloidal system is exemplified by an aqueous solution containing Cl− ions is introduced to another containing Ag+ ions, resulting in the precipitation of solid AgCl as extremely tiny crystals. Instead of settling out as a filterable precipitate, these crystals remain suspended in the liquid, showcasing a colloidal system.A colloidal system involves colloidal particles within the approximate range of 1 to 1000 nm in at least one dimension, dispersed in a medium called...
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Membrane fluidity is explained by the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, which describes the plasma membrane structure as a mosaic of components—including phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates—that gives the membrane a fluid character.
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Scientists identified the plasma membrane in the 1890s and its principal chemical components (lipids and proteins) by 1915. The model for plasma membrane structure, proposed in 1935 by Hugh Davson and James Danielli, was the first model to be widely accepted in the scientific community. The model was based on the plasma membrane's "railroad track" appearance in early electron micrographs. Davson and Danielli theorized that the plasma membrane's structure resembled a sandwich...
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Entropic forces stabilize diverse emergent structures in colloidal membranes.

Louis Kang1, Thomas Gibaud2, Zvonimir Dogic3

  • 1Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, 203 South 33rd Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. lkang@mail.med.upenn.edu.

Soft Matter
|October 17, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Entropy drives the self-assembly of colloidal particles into complex membranes. These structures, formed from filamentous viruses and dextran, exhibit unique shapes and chiral properties explained by a new entropic theory.

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Area of Science:

  • Colloid and interface science
  • Soft matter physics
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Non-adsorbing polymers induce depletion interactions, driving self-assembly of repulsive colloidal particles.
  • Filamentous fd viruses and dextran form two-dimensional colloidal membranes with emergent behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the formation and behavior of colloidal membranes driven by entropic forces.
  • To develop a theory explaining the observed structures and properties of these membranes.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental self-assembly of fd virus and dextran suspensions.
  • Formulation of an entropically-motivated theoretical model.
  • Quantitative comparison of theoretical predictions with experimental data.

Main Results:

  • Colloidal membranes exhibit chiral twist and shape transitions (circular to starfish) dependent on rod chirality.
  • Membranes coalesce via domain walls with 180° virus twisting.
  • The entropic theory accurately predicts experimental structures and properties across various conditions.

Conclusions:

  • Entropy, through Frank elastic energy and effective surface tension, drives the formation and behavior of diverse colloidal membrane structures.
  • Generalizable principles suggest analogous effects in molecular membranes.
  • Findings offer insights for designing reconfigurable colloidal materials.