= Micropipette aspiration
In a membrane-mechanics experiment, a narrow glass pipette applies a controlled pressure difference and draws a tongue of membrane into its opening. Imaging the aspirated length and vesicle geometry estimates the change in apparent membrane area. At low <tension>, much of that change can flatten thermal undulations; at higher tension it can measure actual area dilation. For ideal spherical caps with pipette radius $R_p$ and vesicle radius $R_v>R_p$, the <Young–Laplace equation> gives $\Delta p=2\sigma(1/R_p-1/R_v)$. Bending at the rim, adhesion and a membrane-associated <cytoskeleton> can require corrections to this simple geometric inference.
Back to article page
