STABILITY OF SPICULATED RED-BLOOD-CELLS INDUCED BY INTERCALATION OF AMPHIPHILES IN CELL-MEMBRANE

The stability of speculated red blood cells, induced by intercalation of amphiphilic molecules into the cell membrane, is studied. It is ass umed that the stable red blood cell shape corresponds to the minimum o f its membrane elastic energy, which consists of the local and non-loc al bilayer bending energies and of the skeleton shear elastic energy. The cell volume and the membrane area are kept constant. It is calcula ted that the number of spicules of the stable echinocytic shape is lar ger when the amphiphile concentration is higher, which is in agreement with experimental observations. Also, it is established that, in expl aining the stability of the echinocytic shape of the red blood cell, i t is necessary to include the membrane skeleton shear elasticity.