Red cell membrane crenation: a macromodel of the echinocyte I.
A physical macromodel of the erythrocyte membrane was constructed to investigate the effect of intrinsic membrane precurvature on a unique non-isotropic, composite material that dissipated shear energy but stored bending energy. The intrinsic precurvature of the material could be modified from strong positive precurvature through neutral to strong negative precurvature. A spherical shell constructed of the negatively precurved variant of this non-isotropic material spontaneously assumed the characteristic shape of the echinocyte I.
Aldana
D H
DH
School of Allied Health Professions, Loma Linda University, California 92354.
Brailsford
J D
JD
Bull
B S
BS
D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008954:Models, Biological; D013499:Surface Properties
D008567:Membranes, Artificial