Thermodynamic theory on division of a vesicle enclosing colloid polystyrene spheres

Abstract

Abstract A decade ago, experimental observations indicated that the repulsion between particles contained within a vesicle is a factor that induces the transformation of the vesicle. Recently, such a deformation was investigated in detail by means of the numerical simulation, whereas the division of a vesicle has never been realized. Its physical mechanism is not clear. In the present paper, a division rule is thermodynamically studied using the free energy including repulsion between polystyrene spheres. The number of daughter vesicles is given as a function of the ratio of osmotic pressure to surface energy.