Analytical derivation of lateral pressure profile from microscopic model of lipid bilayer

Abstract

Field-theoretical method is proposed, that yields analytical expression for lateral pressure distribution across hydrophobic core of a bilayer lipid membrane. Lipid molecule, repelling entropicaly surrounding neighbors, is modeled as a flexible string embedded between confining walls in the self-consistent harmonic potential. At room temperature the pressure profile is expressed solely via lowest energy eigenfunctions of the operator of the string energy density. Analytical results compare favorably with molecular dynamics simulations. The theory is suited to study protein-lipid interaction.