title: An osmotic model for the fusion of biological membranes.
abstract: A molecular model for fusion-fission reactions in membranes is proposed that is based on data from studies on artificially induced cell fusion and on the behaviour of phospholipid bilayers: it is put forward as a framework for further investigations into this fundamental property of biological systems.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003102:Colloids; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000378:metabolism; D008561:Membrane Fusion; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009995:Osmosis; D010222:Parainfluenza Virus 1, Human / Q000502:physiology; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010743:Phospholipids