Increasing membrane tension decreases miscibility temperatures; an experimental demonstration via micropipette aspiration.
It has been hypothesized that cytoskeletal tension prevents large-scale phase separation within cell plasma membranes. Here, we microaspirate giant unilamellar vesicles to determine the effect of mechanical stress on the liquid/liquid miscibility temperature of a membrane composed of a ternary lipid mixture. An increase in tension of 0.1 mN/m induces a decrease in miscibility temperature on the order of a few tenths of a degree K, which validates recent theoretical predictions.
Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Thomas
T
Portet
Sharona E
SE
Gordon
Sarah L
SL
Keller
D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013696:Temperature; D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry
D053835:Unilamellar Liposomes