N. Ramakrishnan, John H. Ipsen, P. B. Sunil Kumar
We study the equilibrium shapes of vesicles, with an in-plane nematic order,
using a Monte-Carlo scheme and show that highly curved shapes, like tubes and
discs, with a striking similarity to the structures engendered by certain
curvature sensing peripheral membrane proteins, can be spontaneously generated
by anisotropic directional curvature with nematic disclinations playing and
important role. We show that the coupling between nematic order and local
curvature could lead to like defects moving towards each other and unlike
defects moving away, in turn leading to tube formation. Thermally induced
defect pair production lead to branched tubular structures. It is also shown
that helical arrangement of the membrane tubes, with nematic field spiraling
around it, is a dominant soft mode of the system.
View original:
http://arxiv.org/abs/1202.3401
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