Luka Mesarec | University of Ljubljana (original) (raw)
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Papers by Luka Mesarec
Advances in Condensed Matter Physics, 2014
We studied biological membranes of spherical topology within the framework of the spontaneous cur... more We studied biological membranes of spherical topology within the framework of the spontaneous curvature model. Both Monte Carlo simulations and the numerical minimization of the curvature energy were used to obtain the shapes of the vesicles. The shapes of the vesicles and their energy were calculated for different values of the reduced volume. The vesicles which exhibit inplane ordering were also studied. Minimal models have been developed in order to study the orientational ordering in colloids coated with a thin sheet of nematic liquid crystal (nematic shells). The topological defects are always present on the surfaces with the topology of a sphere. The location of the topological defects depends strongly on the curvature of the surface. We studied the nematic ordering and the formation of topological defects on vesicles obtained by the minimization of the spontaneous curvature energy.
Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2014
Closed biological membranes were considered within the spontaneous curvature model. Ground state ... more Closed biological membranes were considered within the spontaneous curvature model. Ground state membrane shapes were compared with Monte Carlo simulations in the thermal equilibrium, where membranes are subject to thermal fluctuations. The results of the two approaches correspond well with each other. The oblate discocyte membrane shapes are obtained in the ground state but can become metastable when thermal fluctuations are taken into account. The nematic ordering in oblate and stomatocyte vesicle membranes was also studied. It was confirmed that the net topological charge on the surfaces with the topology of a sphere was 2. On the oblate vesicle four topological defects, each with charge 1/2, assembled in the region exhibiting the highest Gaussian curvature. On the stomatocyte vesicle with six topological defects, each with charge 1/2, and two topological antidefects, each with charge −1/2, the latter assembled in the region with a negative Gaussian curvature. The position of topological defects is strongly curvature dependent.
Membrane deformations induced by attached BAR superfamily domains could trigger or facilitate the... more Membrane deformations induced by attached BAR superfamily domains could trigger or facilitate the growth of plasma membrane protrusions. The BAR domain family consists of BAR, F-BAR and I-BAR domains, each enforcing a different local curvature when attached to the membrane surface. Our theoretical study mainly focuses on the role of I-BAR in the membrane tubular deformations generated or stabilised by actin filaments. The influence of the area density of membrane attached BAR domains and their intrinsic curvature on the closed membrane shapes (vesicles) was investigated numerically. We derived an analytical approximative expression for the critical relative area density of BARs at which the membrane tubular protrusions on vesicles are most prominent. We have shown that the BARs with a higher intrinsic curvature induce thinner and longer cylindrical protrusions. The average orientation of the membrane attached BARs is altered when the vesicle shape is subjected to external force of growing actin rod-like structure inside a vesicle. The average orientation angle of membrane attached BARs may indicate whether the actin filaments are just stabilising the protrusion or generating it by stretching the vesicle.
Advances in Condensed Matter Physics, 2014
We studied biological membranes of spherical topology within the framework of the spontaneous cur... more We studied biological membranes of spherical topology within the framework of the spontaneous curvature model. Both Monte Carlo simulations and the numerical minimization of the curvature energy were used to obtain the shapes of the vesicles. The shapes of the vesicles and their energy were calculated for different values of the reduced volume. The vesicles which exhibit inplane ordering were also studied. Minimal models have been developed in order to study the orientational ordering in colloids coated with a thin sheet of nematic liquid crystal (nematic shells). The topological defects are always present on the surfaces with the topology of a sphere. The location of the topological defects depends strongly on the curvature of the surface. We studied the nematic ordering and the formation of topological defects on vesicles obtained by the minimization of the spontaneous curvature energy.
Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2014
Closed biological membranes were considered within the spontaneous curvature model. Ground state ... more Closed biological membranes were considered within the spontaneous curvature model. Ground state membrane shapes were compared with Monte Carlo simulations in the thermal equilibrium, where membranes are subject to thermal fluctuations. The results of the two approaches correspond well with each other. The oblate discocyte membrane shapes are obtained in the ground state but can become metastable when thermal fluctuations are taken into account. The nematic ordering in oblate and stomatocyte vesicle membranes was also studied. It was confirmed that the net topological charge on the surfaces with the topology of a sphere was 2. On the oblate vesicle four topological defects, each with charge 1/2, assembled in the region exhibiting the highest Gaussian curvature. On the stomatocyte vesicle with six topological defects, each with charge 1/2, and two topological antidefects, each with charge −1/2, the latter assembled in the region with a negative Gaussian curvature. The position of topological defects is strongly curvature dependent.
Membrane deformations induced by attached BAR superfamily domains could trigger or facilitate the... more Membrane deformations induced by attached BAR superfamily domains could trigger or facilitate the growth of plasma membrane protrusions. The BAR domain family consists of BAR, F-BAR and I-BAR domains, each enforcing a different local curvature when attached to the membrane surface. Our theoretical study mainly focuses on the role of I-BAR in the membrane tubular deformations generated or stabilised by actin filaments. The influence of the area density of membrane attached BAR domains and their intrinsic curvature on the closed membrane shapes (vesicles) was investigated numerically. We derived an analytical approximative expression for the critical relative area density of BARs at which the membrane tubular protrusions on vesicles are most prominent. We have shown that the BARs with a higher intrinsic curvature induce thinner and longer cylindrical protrusions. The average orientation of the membrane attached BARs is altered when the vesicle shape is subjected to external force of growing actin rod-like structure inside a vesicle. The average orientation angle of membrane attached BARs may indicate whether the actin filaments are just stabilising the protrusion or generating it by stretching the vesicle.