title: Pulling tethers from adhered vesicles.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: E 22 Institut für Biophysik, Technische Universität München, D-85748 Garching, Germany.
authors.forename: Ana-Suncana
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sackmann
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Seifert
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion; D022162:Cytoplasmic Vesicles; D008566:Membranes; D008954:Models, Biological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013816:Thermodynamics