Michigan Technological University
Department of Physics

is pleased to announce a colloquium

with

Ranjan Mukhopadhyay

Physics of Red Blood Cell Shapes

A mature human red blood cell normally assumes the shape of a doubly dimpled disc. However, it has been known for more than 50 years that, under a variety of chemical or physical treatments, the cell undergoes a quasiuniversal sequence of reversible shape transformations. Since a red blood cell has no internal structure, its shape is governed by the physics of it membrane. Using a simple physical model we show how the full sequence of shapes can be driven by variation in a single control parameter. Our predicted shapes are in surprisingly detailed agreement with observations. Our results make it possible to use shape transformations as a quantitative tool to probe the physics and biochemistry of cell membranes.

Monday, January 20, 2003

4:00 p.m., Fisher 101

Refreshments will be served

MTU | Physics | Colloquium