Kinetic pathways of phase ordering in lipid raft model systems

J Phys Chem B. 2006 Apr 27;110(16):8416-21. doi: 10.1021/jp054855f.

Abstract

We studied kinetic pathways of order-order transitions in bilayer lipid mixtures using a time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau (TDGL) approach. During the stripe-to-hexagonal phase transition in an incompressible two-component system, the stripe phase first develops a pearl-like instability along the phase boundaries, which grows and drives the stripes to break up into droplets that arrange into a hexagonal pattern. These dynamic features are consistent with recent experimental observations. During the disorder-to-hexagonal phase transition in an incompressible three-component system, the disordered state first passes through a transient stripelike structure, which eventually breaks up into a hexagonal droplet phase. Our results suggest experiments with synthetic vesicles where the stripelike patterns could be observed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Computer Simulation
  • Electrochemistry
  • Kinetics
  • Membrane Microdomains / chemistry*
  • Models, Chemical
  • Models, Molecular
  • Temperature
  • Thermodynamics