Physical aspects of heterogeneities in multi-component lipid membranes.
Ever since the raft model for biomembranes has been proposed, the traditional view of biomembranes based on the fluid-mosaic model has been altered. In the raft model, dynamical heterogeneities in multi-component lipid bilayers play an essential role. Focusing on the lateral phase separation of biomembranes and vesicles, we review some of the most relevant research conducted over the last decade. We mainly refer to those experimental works that are based on physical chemistry approach, and to theoretical explanations given in terms of soft matter physics. In the first part, we describe the phase behavior and the conformation of multi-component lipid bilayers. After formulating the hydrodynamics of fluid membranes in the presence of the surrounding solvent, we discuss the domain growth-law and decay rate of concentration fluctuations. Finally, we review several attempts to describe membrane rafts as two-dimensional microemulsion.
Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan. Electronic address: komura@tmu.ac.jp.
Shigeyuki
S
Komura
Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel. Electronic address: andelman@post.tau.ac.il.
David
D
Andelman
D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D021961:Cell Membrane Structures / Q000737:chemistry*; D004548:Elasticity; D006801:Humans; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008954:Models, Biological; D014783:Viscosity
D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008567:Membranes, Artificial
Domains in membranes; Hydrodynamics of fluid membranes; Lipid cholesterol; Lipid membranes; Membrane rafts; Mixtures; Phase separation in membranes; Saffman–Delbruck model