title: Theory of myelin coiling.
abstract: A new model is proposed to explain coiling of myelins composed of fluid bilayers. This model allows the constituent bilayer cylinders of a myelin to be non-coaxial and the bilayer lateral tension to vary from bilayer to bilayer. The calculations show that a myelin would bend or coil to lower its free energy when the bilayer lateral tension is sufficiently large. From a mechanical point of view, the proposed coiling mechanism is analogous to the classical Euler buckling of a thin elastic rod under axial compression. The analysis of a simple two-bilayer case suggests that a bilayer lateral tension of about 1 dyne/cm can easily induce coiling of myelins of typical lipid bilayers. This model signifies the importance of bilayer lateral tension in determining the morphology of myelinic structures.
authors.affiliation: James Franck Institute and Department of Physics, University of Chicago, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. jhuang2@uchicago.edu
authors.forename: J-R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D046911:Macromolecular Substances