Pulling tethers from adhered vesicles.
The competition between adhesion and tether formation in bound vesicles is investigated. A theoretical model is developed in which tethers are induced by the application of a pulling force to the top of a strongly adhered vesicle. A critical onset force is identified where the tether spontaneously appears as part of a first order shape transition. Further growth of the tether initiates a detachment process that culminates in a continuous unbinding of the vesicle at a finite detachment force. Both critical forces, as well as all shape parameters, are calculated as a function of the reduced volume and the strength of adhesive potential.
Smith
Ana-Suncana
AS
E 22 Institut für Biophysik, Technische Universität München, D-85748 Garching, Germany.
Sackmann
Erich
E
Seifert
Udo
U
D002448:Cell Adhesion; D022162:Cytoplasmic Vesicles; D008566:Membranes; D008954:Models, Biological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013816:Thermodynamics