Rupture of a liposomal vesicle

TL;DR

This paper models pore dynamics in osmotically stressed liposomal vesicles, revealing conditions for pore formation and stability through numerical solutions and phase diagram analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a set of governing equations for liposome size, solute concentration, and pore diameter, and analyzes pore stability regimes both numerically and analytically.

Findings

Liposomes can remain pore-free, have short-lived pores, or long-lived pores depending on conditions.

A phase diagram of pore stability is constructed.

Scaling regimes of pore behavior are analytically deduced.

Abstract

We discuss pore dynamics in osmotically stressed vesicles. A set of equations which govern the liposomal size, internal solute concentration, and pore diameter is solved numerically. We find that dependent on the internal solute concentration and vesicle size, liposomes can stay pore-free, nucleate a short lived pore, or nucleate a long-lived pore. The phase diagram of pore stability is constructed, and the different scaling regimes are deduced analytically.