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Updated: Nov 6, 2025

Pulling Membrane Nanotubes from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles
Published on: December 7, 2017
On Gaussian curvature and membrane fission
Mara Denisse Rueda-Contreras1, Andreu F Gallen2, J Roberto Romero-Arias3
1Instituto de Física, U.N.A.M., Ap. Postal 101000, 01000, Mexico, DF, Mexico.
Abstract:
We propose a three-dimensional mathematical model to describe dynamical processes of membrane fission. The model is based on a phase field equation that includes the Gaussian curvature contribution to the bending energy. With the addition of the Gaussian curvature energy term numerical simulations agree with the predictions that tubular shapes can break down into multiple vesicles. A dispersion relation obtained with linear analysis predicts the wavelength of the instability and the number of formed vesicles. Finally, a membrane shape diagram is obtained for the different Gaussian and bending modulus, showing different shape regimes.
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