Abstract
We consider a vesicle carrying on its surface a small number of mobile “stickers”. When facing a wall with suitable receptors for the stickers, the vesicle builds up an adhesion patch. Our aim is to analyze the patch growth, allowing for a variety of physical situations. (a) Sometimes the process is facilitated by a nonspecific adhesion process (e.g., van der Waals). But with suitably protected surfaces, this is absent: we can then use heavy vesicles, who fall by their weight on the surface but remain at a certain distance from it. (b) For certain model systems, the stickers diffuse freely. But for other systems, they may be stuck as soon as they reach their complement. (c) With some cellular adhesion molecules, we may find a long reaction time τ for fixation. Our discussion includes all these possibilities and ends up with a list of possible scenarios, leading to different growth laws.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
