Influence of stochastic noise on self-organized patterns in a fluid-mosaic model of membranes

Abstract

A model combining the Smoluchowski equation for the average density of proteins with Kelvin's cable equation modeling diffusion and electrical potential in a membrane, respectively, is considered. The resulting set of nonlinear diffusion equations, which exhibit self-organized stationary patterns, are examined by numerical computations when stochastic noise is introduced. The final stationary patterns have the lowest possible spatial frequencies corresponding to the presence of essentially a single hump. The effect of noise is to enhance the pattern selection.