Dynamics of transient pores in stretched vesicles
- *Laboratoire Physico-Chimie Curie–Unité Mixte de Recherche 168 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Institut Curie, 11, rue Pierre et Marie Curie 75248 Paris CEDEX 05, France; ‡Laboratoire de Physiologie–Unité Mixte de Recherche, 7637 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Ecole Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles, 10, rue Vauquelin 75231 Paris CEDEX 05, France
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Communicated by Pierre-Gilles de Gennes, Ecole Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie Industrielles, Paris, France (received for review June 2, 1999)
Abstract
We image macroscopic transient pores in mechanically stretched giant vesicles. Holes open above a critical radius rc1, grow up to a radius rc2, and close. We interpret the upper limit rc2 by a relaxation of the membrane tension as the holes expand. The closing of the holes is caused by a further relaxation of the surface tension when the internal liquid leaks out. A dynamic model fits our data for the growth and closure of pores.
