Repair of large area pores in supported double bilayers
Journal article, 2013

We describe an experimental system where we can generate, and subsequently close, multiple large membrane ruptures in supported double bilayers. We show in this study for the first time that large membrane pores (similar to 10-150 mu m in size) in flat phospholipid vesicles can be reduced in size or completely closed by a pore edge tension driven area reduction mechanism. We can dynamically control the membrane tension of a flat giant unilamellar vesicle and its interplay with the surface adhesion to a solid support. Adhesion to the support surface causes increased membrane tension, which eventually relaxes by the formation of several pores in the membrane. We show that the tension propagation time tau(max) is exceptionally long in this system, which allows for simultaneous opening of multiple pores. The pores can be stabilized by Ca2+-mediated pinning sites in the interior of the flat giant unilamellar vesicle. After pore formation followed by pinning, we depleted Ca2+ ions resulting in removal of pinning and relaxation of membrane tension. This allows the pore to close, driven by the pore edge tension.

cells

plasma-membrane

calcium

spectroscopy

binding

vesicles

phase

phospholipid-membranes

Author

Irep Gözen

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Physical Chemistry

B. Ortmen

I. Poldsalu

University of Tartu

P. Dommersnes

Centre for Advanced Study (CAS)

Owe Orwar

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Physical Chemistry

Aldo Jesorka

Chalmers, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Physical Chemistry

Soft Matter

1744-683X (ISSN) 1744-6848 (eISSN)

Vol. 9 10 2787-2792

Subject Categories

Biological Sciences

Chemical Sciences

DOI

10.1039/c3sm27429b

More information

Latest update

1/17/2019