Anomalously Slow Domain Growth in Fluid Membranes with Asymmetric Transbilayer Lipid Distribution

TL;DR

This study numerically investigates how asymmetry in lipid distribution affects phase separation dynamics in fluid vesicles, revealing that spontaneous curvature caused by asymmetry can significantly slow domain growth under certain tension conditions.

Contribution

It is the first to analyze the impact of transbilayer lipid asymmetry on phase separation dynamics in fluid membranes through numerical simulations.

Findings

Asymmetry induces spontaneous curvature affecting domain morphology.

Moderate tension causes anomalously slow domain growth due to curvature effects.

High and low tensions lead to full phase separation despite asymmetry.

Abstract

The effect of asymmetry in the transbilayer lipid distribution on the dynamics of phase separation in fluid vesicles is investigated numerically for the first time. This asymmetry is shown to set a spontaneous curvature for the domains that alter the morphology and dynamics considerably. For moderate tension, the domains are capped and the spontaneous curvature leads to anomalously slow dynamics, as compared to the case of symmetric bilayers. In contrast, in the limiting cases of high and low tensions, the dynamics proceeds towards full phase separation.