Polymers and colloids change the 'spontaneous' curvature of flexible m
embranes such as lipid bilayers. Two general cases will be discussed:
(i) The effect of single polymers or colloids which are anchored or ad
sorbed to the membranes and exert bending moments on the adjacent memb
rane segments; and (ii) the effect of unbalanced tensions in the two m
embrane/water interfaces which arise. e.g., from polymer brushes and f
rom non-anchored polymers or colloids. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.
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