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Stroboscopic illumination study of the dynamics of fluctuating vesicles♣

J. GENOVA1,* , A. ZHELIASKOVA1, V. VITKOVA1, M. D. MITOV1

Affiliation

  1. Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tzarigradsko Chaussee Blvd., 1784 Sofia, Bulgaria

Abstract

The dynamics of thermally induced shape fluctuations of stearoyl oleoyl phosphatidyl choline (SOPC) and dioleoyl phosphatidyl choline (DOPC) quasispherical vesicles was studied. Membrane fluctuations of giant unilamellar vesicles, prepared from these lipids were visualized and recorded in real time via phase contrast microscopy, for a continuous long time interval. The experimental equipment was improved by implementation of stroboscopic illumination based on a xenon flash lamp. In this way, the blur effect due to the finite integration time of the camera was removed and an instant picture of the fluctuating vesicle shape was achieved. The results permitted the estimation of the friction between the monolayers comprising the bilayer of the membrane, and the bending elasticity modulus of blocked exchange of molecules between the monolayers..

Keywords

Dynamics, Fluctuations, Lipid membranes, Stroboscopic illumination.

Submitted at: Nov. 5, 2008
Accepted at: Sept. 9, 2009

Citation

J. GENOVA, A. ZHELIASKOVA, V. VITKOVA, M. D. MITOV, Stroboscopic illumination study of the dynamics of fluctuating vesicles♣, Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials Vol. 11, Iss. 9, pp. 1222-1225 (2009)