Analytical characterization of adhering vesicles

C. Tordeux (1) , J. -B. Fournier (1) , P. Galatola (2)

1 LPCT - Laboratoire de Physico-Chimie Théorique
2 LBHPC - Laboratoire de biorhéologie et d'hydrodynamique physico-chimique

We characterize vesicle adhesion onto homogeneous substrates by means of a perturbative expansion around the infinite adhesion limit, where curvature elasticity effects are absent. At first order in curvature elasticity, we determine analytically various global physical quantities associated with adhering vesicles: height, adhesion radius, etc. Our results are valid for adhesion energies above a certain threshold, that we determine numerically. We discuss the haptotactic force acting on a vesicle in the limit of weak adhesion gradients. We also propose novel methods for measuring adhesion energies and we suggest a possible way of determining the size of suboptical vesicles using controlled adhesion gradients.

Domaines: Matière Molle [cond-mat.soft]

C. Tordeux, J. -B. Fournier, P. Galatola. Analytical characterization of adhering vesicles. Physical Review E : Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics, 2002, 65, pp.041911. ⟨hal-00023275⟩