Axial-symmetry breaking in constrained membranes.
We study the equilibrium shapes of a lipid membrane, attached to a fixed circular substrate. We show how the weakening of the boundary conditions is able to break the axial symmetry of the optimal equilibrium configuration. We derive the critical threshold of the symmetry-breaking transition, and obtain the analytical expression of the free-energy minimizers in the quasi-planar approximation. Metastable states turn out to contain contributions only from the axisymmetric mode, and at most one single non-trivial Fourier mode.
Biscari
Paolo
P
Department of Mathematics, Politecnico di Milano, , Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy. paolo.biscari@polimi.it
Napoli
Gaetano
G
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004548:Elasticity; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D013816:Thermodynamics
D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008081:Liposomes; D008563:Membrane Lipids