JournalsifbVol. 5, No. 4pp. 357–366

On the variational theory of cell-membrane equilibria

  • David Steigmann

    University of California, Berkeley, United States

  • Eveline Baesu

    University of Nebraska-Lincoln, United States

  • Robert E. Rudd

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, United States

  • Jim Belak

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, United States

  • Mike McElfresh

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, United States
On the variational theory of cell-membrane equilibria cover
Download PDF

Abstract

The equivalence of two approaches to the variational theory of cell-membrane equilibria which have been proposed in the literature is demonstrated. Both assume a constraint on surface area, global in one formulation and local in the alternative, in accordance with measurements which reveal negligible surface dilation in the presence of membrane deformation. We thus address a potential controversy in the mathematical modeling of an important problem in biophysics.

Cite this article

David Steigmann, Eveline Baesu, Robert E. Rudd, Jim Belak, Mike McElfresh, On the variational theory of cell-membrane equilibria. Interfaces Free Bound. 5 (2003), no. 4, pp. 357–366

DOI 10.4171/IFB/83