Physics – Condensed Matter – Soft Condensed Matter
Scientific paper
2010-11-02
J. Chem. Phys. 134, 055106 (2011)
Physics
Condensed Matter
Soft Condensed Matter
10 pages, 10 figures
Scientific paper
10.1063/1.3530587
We show that lateral fluidity in membranes containing quenched protein obstacles belongs to the universality class of the two-dimensional random-field Ising model. The main feature of this class is the absence of a phase transition: there is no critical point, and macroscopic domain formation does not occur. Instead, there is only one phase. This phase is highly heterogeneous, with a structure consisting of micro-domains. The presence of quenched protein obstacles thus provides a mechanism to stabilize lipid rafts in equilibrium. Crucial for two-dimensional random-field Ising universality is that the obstacles are randomly distributed, and have a preferred affinity to one of the lipid species. When these conditions are not met, standard Ising or diluted Ising universality apply. In these cases, a critical point does exist, marking the onset toward macroscopic demixing.
Fischer Theodore
Vink Richard L. C.
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