2025/12/12 by Yuan‐Nan Young, Young, Yuan-Nan, Bryan Quaife +9
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Physics and Astronomy · #Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior #Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications #Micro and Nano Robotics
paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2512.12092
The deformation and rupture of a lipid vesicle due to the forced normal approach of an inclusion are essential for optimizing the design of magnetic giant unilamellar vesicles (GUV) [Malik et al., Nanoscale 17, 13720 (2025)NANOHL2040-336410.1039/D5NR00942A], with implications for active colloid-membrane interactions and cellular-scale chemical delivery. Here, we investigate vesicles propelled by a force-driven rigid inclusion and reveal a robust elastohydrodynamic mechanism: the inclusion outpaces the vesicle, sustaining a thinning film that drains symmetrically and self-similarly, largely independent of the initial shape. For soft membranes and small inclusions, the coupling drives a monotonic tension increase that can exceed the lysis tension. Evaluating the maximal tension over a delivery distance, we map an operating window in a vesicle reduced area and size relative to the inclusion.