Active Fusion and Fission Processes on a Fluid Membrane

Abstract

We investigate the steady states and dynamical instabilities resulting from ``particles'' depositing on (fusion) and pinching off (fission) a fluid membrane. These particles could be either small lipid vesicles or isolated proteins. In the stable case, such fusion/fission events suppress long wavelength fluctuations of the membrane. In the unstable case, the membrane shoots out long tubular structures reminiscent of endosomal compartments or folded structures as in internal membranes like the endoplasmic reticulum or Golgi. We argue that these fusion/fission events should be strongly affected by tension.