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Bending stiffness of biological membranes: What can be measured by neutron spin echo?

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Abstract

Large vesicles obtained by the extrusion method represent adequate membrane models to probe membrane dynamics with neutron radiation. Particularly, the shape fluctuations around the spherical average topology can be recorded by neutron spin echo (NSE). In this paper we report on the applicable theories describing the scattering contributions from bending-dominated shape fluctuations in diluted vesicle dispersions, with a focus on the relative relevance of the master translational mode with respect to the internal fluctuations. Different vesicle systems, including bilayer and non-bilayer membranes, have been scrutinized. We describe the practical ranges where the exact theory of bending fluctuations is applicable to obtain the values of the bending modulus from experiments, and we discuss about the possible internal modes that could be alternatively contributing to shape fluctuations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Química Física I, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, E-28040, Madrid, Spain

    Michael Mell, Lara H. Moleiro, Iván López-Montero & Francisco Monroy

  2. Physikalische Chemie I, Univeristät Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, D-95447, Bayreuth, Germany

    Lara H. Moleiro

  3. Physikalische und Biophysikalische Chemie I, Universität Bielefeld, Universitätsstraße 25, D-33615, Bielefeld, Germany

    Yvonne Hertle & Thomas Hellweg

  4. TOF/HR Group, Institut Laue Langevin, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, BP156, F-38042, Grenoble Cedex 9, France

    Peter Fouquet

  5. DS/LSS - ILL Soft Matter Partnership Lab, Institut Laue Langevin, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, BP156, F-38042, Grenoble Cedex 9, France

    Ralf Schweins

Authors
  1. Michael Mell
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  2. Lara H. Moleiro
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  3. Yvonne Hertle
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  6. Iván López-Montero
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  7. Thomas Hellweg
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  8. Francisco Monroy
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Correspondence to Thomas Hellweg.

Additional information

Contribution to the Topical Issue “Neutron Biological Physics”, edited by Giovanna Fragneto and Frank Gabel.

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Mell, M., Moleiro, L.H., Hertle, Y. et al. Bending stiffness of biological membranes: What can be measured by neutron spin echo?. Eur. Phys. J. E 36, 75 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2013-13075-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2013-13075-2

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