Biomembranes and Gases.

Biomembranes report

In this report, we analyse and simulate a chemotaxis model given by a system of stochastic reaction-diffusion equations posed on an evolving surface.

Drug Tolerance in Biomembranes

B tolerance to drugs, particularly alcohol, has been part of folklore for most of recorded history; it is common wisdom that some who drink heartily and frequently are better able to “hold their liquor” than are others who consume a thim­ bleful of sacramental wine during the year. The mechanism(s) of alcoholic intoxication, let alone tolerance, still are not under­ stood, although many researc...

Theory of biomembranes

Electromechanical properties of biomembranes and nerves

Lipid membranes are insulators and capacitors, which can be charged by an external electric field. This phenomenon plays an important role in the field of electrophysiology, for instance when describing nerve pulse conduction. Membranes are also made of polar molecules meaning that they contain molecules with permanent electrical dipole moments. Therefore, the properties of membranes are subjec...

Flexoelectricity and elasticity of asymmetric biomembranes.

In view of the well-established charge and dipolar asymmetry of the two leaflets of a native membrane, the theory of flexoelectricity (and curvature elasticity) is extended to take into account this asymmetry using linear and nonlinear forms of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation. The results are discussed with respect to data from atomic force microscopy studies of electromotility in biomembranes.