Dynamic approach to self-organization or a phase transition. Model for a non-equilibrium phase transition in phosphatidylserine membranes by the binding of Ca 2+ and Cu 2+

Abstract

A self-organized chemical system is described by a set of rate equations for a primary and a partial system. The partial system acts as an internal driving force to regulate the primary system. Thermal equilibrium of the primary system is broken by coupling with the partial system and there is a change into a new state through quasi-equilibrium. The instability of the quasi-equilibrium is treated by a transition parameter k' 3 describing an autocatalytic reaction. For k' 3 > 0 the state is stable, while for k' 3 < 0 it is transferred into a new state. We treat a phase transition of head groups of phosphatidylserine molecules in membranes by the binding of Ca 2+ and Cu 2+ using this model.