Publications
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Articles in scientific journals
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Books
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Theses
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1. Articles in scientific journals
![](grafiken/33flexoelectric_icon.png) | Flexoelectric fluid membrane vesicles in spherical confinement
Niloufar Abtahi, Lila Bouzar, Nadia Saidi-Amroun, Martin Michael Müller | EPL, 131(1): 18001, 2020. See also arXiv:2006.04475.
![](grafiken/32tangentdev_icon.png) | Isometric bending requires local constraints on free edges
Jemal Guven, Martin Michael Müller, Pablo Vázquez-Montejo |
While the shape equations describing the equilibrium of an unstretchable thin sheet that is free
to bend are known, the boundary conditions that supplement these equations on free edges have remained elusive.
Intuitively, unstretchability is captured by a constraint on the metric within the bulk. Naïvely one would then
guess that this constraint is enough to ensure that the deformations determining the boundary conditions on these
edges respect the isometry constraint. If matters were this simple, unfortunately, it would imply unbalanced torques
(as well as forces) along the edge unless manifestly unphysical constraints are met by the boundary geometry. In this
article, we identify the source of the problem: not only the local arc-length but also the geodesic curvature need to
be constrained explicitly on all free edges. We derive the boundary conditions which follow. In contrast to conventional
wisdom, there is no need to introduce boundary layers. This framework is applied to isolated conical defects, both
with deficit as well, but more briefly, as surplus angles. Using these boundary conditions, we show that the lateral
tension within a circular cone of fixed radius is equal but opposite to the radial compression, and independent of
the deficit angle itself. We proceed to examine the effect of an oblique outer edge on this cone perturbatively
demonstrating that both the correction to the geometry as well as the stress distribution in the cone kicks in at
second order in the eccentricity of the edge.
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Math. Mech. Solids, 24: 4051, 2019. See also arXiv:1904.05855.
![](grafiken/31squeelixsimulations_icon.jpg) | Helical Superstructure of Intermediate Filaments
Lila Bouzar, Martin Michael Müller, René Messina, Bernd Nöding, Sarah Köster, Hervé Mohrbach, Igor M. Kulić |
Abstract
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Phys. Rev. Lett., 122: 098101, 2019. See also arXiv:1803.04691.
![](grafiken/30vesicleflow_icon.png) | Vesicle dynamics in confined steady and harmonically modulated Poiseuille flows
Zakaria Boujja, Chaouqi Misbah, Hamid Ez-Zahraouy, Abdelilah Benyoussef, Thomas John, Christian Wagner, Martin Michael Müller |
We present a numerical study of the time-dependent motion of a membrane vesicle in a
channel under an imposed flow. In a Poiseuille flow the shape of the vesicle depends on the flow strength,
the mechanical properties of the membrane, and the width of the channel. In a wide parameter region, the
emerging snaking shape shows an oscillatory motion like a swimmer flagella even though the flow is
stationary. We quantify this behavior by the amplitude and frequency of the oscillations of the vesicle's
center of mass. The influence of an amplitude modulation of the imposed flow on the dynamics and shape of
the snaking vesicle is also investigated. We find that this modulation---when sufficiently small---induces
a modulation in amplitude and frequency of the center of mass of the snaking vesicle. For large
modulation amplitudes transitions to static shapes are observed.
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Phys. Rev. E, 98: 043111, 2018. See also arXiv:1810.04500.
![](grafiken/29confinementtorusadhesion_icon.png) | Confining a fluid membrane vesicle of toroidal topology in an adhesive hard sphere
Lila Bouzar, Ferhat Menas, Martin Michael Müller |
Abstract
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IOP Conf. Series: MSE, 186: 012021, 2017.
![](grafiken/28squeelix_icon.png) | Squeezed helical elastica
Lila Bouzar, Martin Michael Müller, Pierre Gosselin, Igor M. Kulić, Hervé Mohrbach |
Abstract
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Eur. Phys. J. E, 39: 114, 2016. See also arXiv:1606.03611.
![](grafiken/27dynamin_icon.png) | How bio-filaments twist membranes
Julien Fierling, Albert Johner, Igor M. Kulić, Hervé Mohrbach, Martin Michael Müller |
Abstract
Soft Matter, 12: 5747, 2016.
![](grafiken/26confinementtorus_icon.png) | Toroidal membrane vesicles in spherical confinement
Lila Bouzar, Ferhat Menas, Martin Michael Müller |
Abstract
Read more
Phys. Rev. E, 92: 032721, 2015. See also arXiv:1509.00765.
![](grafiken/25sleeve_icon.png) | Non-linear buckling and symmetry breaking of a soft elastic sheet sliding on a cylindrical substrate
Norbert Stoop, Martin Michael Müller |
Abstract
Read more
Int. J. Non-Linear Mech., 75: 115, 2015. See also arXiv:1503.05030.
![](grafiken/24dynamin_icon.jpg) | Crunching Biofilament Rings
Julien Fierling, Martin Michael Müller, Hervé Mohrbach, Albert Johner, Igor M. Kulić |
Abstract
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Europhys. Lett., 107(6): 68002, 2014. See also arXiv:1408.6787.
![](grafiken/23microtubules_icon.png) | Confotronic dynamics of tubular filaments
Osman Kahraman, Hervé Mohrbach, Martin Michael Müller, Igor M. Kulić |
Tubular lattices are ubiquitous in nature and technology. Microtubules and nanotubes of all
kinds act as important pillars of biological cells and the man-made nano-world. We show that
when prestress is introduced in such structures, localized conformational quasiparticles emerge and
govern the collective shape dynamics of the lattice. When coupled via cooperative interactions these
quasiparticles form larger-scale quasipolymer superstructures exhibiting collective dynamic modes
and giving rise to a hallmark behavior radically different from semiflexible beams.
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Soft Matter, 10(16): pp. 2836-2847, 2014. See also arXiv:1312.3106.
![](grafiken/22rotation_icon.png) | Whirling skirts and rotating cones
Jemal Guven, J. A. Hanna, Martin Michael Müller |
Steady, dihedrally symmetric patterns with sharp peaks may be observed on a spinning skirt, lagging behind the material flow of the fabric. These qualitative features are captured with a minimal model of traveling waves on an inextensible, flexible, generalized-conical sheet rotating about a fixed axis. Conservation laws are used to reduce the dynamics to a quadrature describing a particle in a three-parameter family of potentials. One parameter is associated with the stress in the sheet, aNoether is the current associated with rotational invariance, and the third is a Rossby number which indicates the relative strength of Coriolis forces. Solutions are quantized by enforcing a topology appropriate to a skirt and a particular choice of dihedral symmetry. A perturbative analysis of nearly axisymmetric cones shows that Coriolis effects are essential in establishing skirt-like solutions. Fully non-linear solutions with three-fold symmetry are presented which bear a suggestive resemblance to the observed patterns.
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New J. Phys., 15: 113055, 2013. See also arXiv:1306.2619.
![](grafiken/21cubicmembranes_icon.png) | Myotubularin and PtdIns3P remodel the sarcoplasmic reticulum in muscle in vivo
Leonela Amoasii, Karim Hnia, Gaëtan Chicanne, Andreas Brech, Belinda Simone Cowling, Martin Michael Müller, Yannick Schwab, Pascale Koebel, Arnaud Ferry, Bernard Payrastre, Jocelyn Laporte |
The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is a specialized form of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in skeletal muscle
and is essential for calcium homeostasis. The mechanisms involved in SR
remodeling and maintenance of SR subdomains are elusive. In this study, we identified
myotubularin (MTM1), a phosphatase mutated in X-linked centronuclear myopathy
(XLCNM), as a key regulator of phosphoinositide-3-monophosphate (PtdIns3P) levels at the
SR. Mtm1 deficient mouse muscles and myoblasts from XLCNM patients exhibit abnormal
SR/ER networks. In vivo modulation of MTM1 enzymatic activity in muscle using ectopic
expression of wild-type or a dead-phosphatase MTM1 protein leads to differential SR
remodeling. Active MTM1 is associated to flat membrane stacks, while dead-phosphatase
MTM1 mutant promotes highly curved cubic membranes originating from the SR and
enriched in PtdIns3P. Moreover, expression of the PtdIns3P binding module 2XFYVE also
modified the SR shape at triads. Our findings, supported by the parallel analysis of the Mtm1-
null mouse and in vivo study, reveal a direct function of MTM1 enzymatic activity in SR
remodeling and a key role for its substrate PtdIns3P in promoting SR membrane curvature in
skeletal muscle. We propose that alteration in SR remodeling is a primary cause of X-linked
centronuclear myopathy. The tight regulation of PtdIns3P on specific membrane subdomains
may be a general mechanism to control membrane curvature.
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J. Cell Sci., 126(8): 1806, 2013.
![](grafiken/20epole_icon.png) | Dipoles in thin sheets
Jemal Guven, J. A. Hanna, Osman Kahraman, Martin Michael Müller |
A flat elastic sheet may contain pointlike conical singularities that carry a metrical "charge" of Gaussian curvature. Adding such elementary defects to a sheet allows one to make many shapes, in a manner broadly
analogous to the familiar multipole construction in electrostatics. However, here the underlying field theory is non-linear,
and superposition of intrinsic defects is non-trivial as it must respect the immersion of the resulting surface in three
dimensions. We consider a "charge-neutral" dipole composed of two conical singularities of opposite sign.
Unlike the relatively simple electrostatic case, here there are two distinct stable minima and an infinity of unstable equilibria.
We determine the shapes of the minima and evaluate their energies in the thin-sheet regime where bending dominates
over stretching. Our predictions are in surprisingly good agreement with experiments on paper sheets.
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Eur. Phys. J. E, 36: 106, 2013. See also arXiv:1212.3262.
![](grafiken/19confinement_icon.png) | Fluid membrane vesicles in confinement
Osman Kahraman, Norbert Stoop, Martin Michael Müller |
Abstract
Read more
New J. Phys., 14: 095021, 2012.
![](grafiken/18flowermorpho_icon.png) | Petal shapes of sympetaleous flowers: the interplay between growth, geometry and elasticity
Martine Ben Amar, Martin Michael Müller, Miguel Trejo |
The growth of a thin elastic sheet imposes constraints on its geometry such as its Gaussian curvature KG.
In this paper, we construct the shapes of sympetalous bell-shaped flowers with a constant Gaussian curvature. Minimizing the bending energies
of both the petal and the veins, we are able to predict quantitatively the global shape of these flowers. We discuss two toy problems
where the Gaussian curvature is either negative or positive. In the former case the axisymmetric pseudosphere turns out to mimic the correct
shape before edge curling; in the latter case, singularities of the mathematical surface coincide with strong veins. Using a variational
minimization of the elastic energy, we find that the optimal number for the veins is either four, five or six, a number which is deceptively
close to the statistics on real flowers in nature.
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New J. Phys., 14: 085014, 2012. Also featured in the Highlights of 2012.
![](grafiken/17confinement_icon.png) | Morphogenesis of membrane invaginations in spherical confinement
Osman Kahraman, Norbert Stoop, Martin Michael Müller |
Abstract
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Europhys. Lett., 97(6): 68008, 2012. See also arXiv:1201.2518.
![](grafiken/16econeunstab_icon.jpg) | Conical instabilities on paper
Jemal Guven, Martin Michael Müller, Pablo Vázquez-Montejo |
Abstract
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J. Phys. A: Math. Theor., 45(1): 015203, 2012. See also arXiv:1107.5008.
![](grafiken/15casimir_icon.png) | Interface-mediated interactions: Entropic forces of curved membranes
Pierre Gosselin, Hervé Mohrbach, Martin Michael Müller |
Abstract
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Phys. Rev. E, 83(5): 051921, 2011. See also arXiv:1011.1221.
![](grafiken/14econetouch_icon.jpg) | Self-Contact and Instabilities in the Anisotropic Growth of Elastic Membranes
Norbert Stoop, Falk K. Wittel, Martine Ben Amar, Martin Michael Müller, Hans J. Herrmann |
Abstract
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Phys. Rev. Lett., 105(6): 068101, 2010. See also arXiv:1007.1871.
![](grafiken/13cellmodel_icon.png) | Cell Model Approach to Membrane Mediated Protein Interactions
Martin Michael Müller, Markus Deserno |
Abstract
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Prog. Theor. Phys. Suppl., 184: pp. 351-363, 2010.
![](grafiken/12pseudo_icon.jpg) | Hamiltonian formulation of surfaces with constant Gaussian curvature
Miguel Trejo, Martine Ben Amar, Martin Michael Müller |
Abstract
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J. Phys. A: Math. Theor., 42(42): 425204, 2009.
![](grafiken/11indentstretch_icon.jpg) | Local Membrane Mechanics of Pore-Spanning Bilayers
Ingo Mey, Milena Stephan, Eva K. Schmitt, Martin Michael Müller, Martine Ben Amar, Claudia Steinem, Andreas Janshoff |
Abstract
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J. Am. Chem. Soc., 131(20): pp. 7031-7039, 2009.
![](grafiken/10substrate_icon.jpg) | Elasticity Mapping of Pore-Suspending Native Cell Membranes
Bärbel Lorenz, Ingo Mey, Siegfried Steltenkamp, Tamir Fine, Christina Rommel, Martin Michael Müller, Alexander Maiwald, Joachim Wegener, Claudia Steinem, Andreas Janshoff |
Abstract
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Small, 5(7): pp. 832-838, 2009.
![](grafiken/09econe_icon.png) | Conical Defects in Growing Sheets
Martin Michael Müller, Martine Ben Amar, Jemal Guven |
Abstract
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Phys. Rev. Lett., 101(15): 156104, 2008. See also arXiv:0807.1814.
![](grafiken/08drape_icon.png) | How paper folds: bending with local constraints
Jemal Guven, Martin Michael Müller |
Abstract
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J. Phys. A: Math. Theor., 41(5): 055203, 2008. See also arXiv:0712.0978.
![](grafiken/07vesad_icon.jpg) | Contact lines for fluid surface adhesion
Markus Deserno, Martin Michael Müller, Jemal Guven |
Abstract
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Phys. Rev. E, 76(1): 011605, 2007. See also cond-mat/0703019. Also featured in the Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research.
![](grafiken/06Eulerelastica_icon.png) | Balancing torques in membrane-mediated interactions: Exact results and
numerical illustrations
Martin Michael Müller, Markus Deserno, Jemal Guven |
Torques on interfaces can be described by a divergence-free tensor
which is fully encoded in the geometry. This tensor consists of two
terms, one originating in the couple of the stress, the other capturing
an intrinsic contribution due to curvature. In analogy to the description
of forces in terms of a stress tensor, the torque on a particle can be
expressed as a line integral along any contour surrounding the particle.
Interactions between particles mediated by a fluid membrane are studied
within this framework. In particular, torque balance places a strong
constraint on the shape of the membrane. Symmetric two-particle
configurations admit simple analytical expressions which are valid
in the fully nonlinear regime; in particular, the problem may be
solved exactly in the case of two membrane-bound parallel cylinders.
This apparently simple system provides some flavor of the remarkably
subtle nonlinear behavior associated with membrane-mediated interactions.
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Phys. Rev. E, 76(1): 011921, 2007. See also cond-mat/0702340. Also featured in the Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research.
![](grafiken/05curvemedcover_icon.jpg) | Aggregation and vesiculation of membrane proteins by curvature-mediated
interactions
Benedict J. Reynwar, Gregoria Illya, Vagelis A. Harmandaris, Martin Michael Müller, Kurt Kremer, Markus Deserno |
Membrane remodelling plays an important role in cellular tasks such as endocytosis, vesiculation and protein sorting, and in the biogenesis of organelles such as the endoplasmic reticulum or the Golgi apparatus. It is well established that the remodelling process is aided by specialized proteins that can sense as well as create membrane curvature, and trigger tubulation when added to synthetic liposomes. Because the energy needed for such large-scale changes in membrane geometry significantly exceeds the binding energy between individual proteins and between protein and membrane, cooperative action is essential. It has recently been suggested that curvature-mediated attractive interactions could aid cooperation and complement the effects of specific binding events on membrane remodelling. But it is difficult to experimentally isolate curvature-mediated interactions from direct attractions between proteins. Moreover, approximate theories predict repulsion between isotropically curving proteins. Here we use coarse-grained membrane simulations to show that curvature-inducing model proteins adsorbed on lipid bilayer membranes can experience attractive interactions that arise purely as a result of membrane curvature. We find that once a minimal local bending is realized, the effect robustly drives protein cluster formation and subsequent transformation into vesicles with radii that correlate with the local curvature imprint. Owing to its universal nature, curvature-mediated attraction can operate even between proteins lacking any specific interactions, such as newly synthesized and still immature membrane proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum.
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Nature 447(7143): pp. 461-464, 2007.
![](grafiken/04tip_icon.jpg) | How to determine local elastic properties of lipid bilayer membranes
from atomic-force-microscope measurements: A theoretical analysis
Davood Norouzi, Martin Michael Müller, Markus Deserno |
Abstract
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Phys. Rev. E, 74(6): 061914, 2006. See also cond-mat/0602662. Also featured in the Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research.
![](grafiken/03DODAB_icon.png) | Mechanical Properties of Pore-Spanning Lipid Bilayers Probed by Atomic Force Microscopy
Siegfried Steltenkamp, Martin Michael Müller, Markus Deserno, Christian Hennesthal, Claudia Steinem, Andreas Janshoff |
We measure the elastic response of a free-standing lipid membrane to a local indentation by using an atomic force microscope. Starting point is a planar
gold-coated alumina substrate with a chemisorbed 3-mercaptopropionic acid
monolayer displaying circular pores of very well defined and tunable size, over
which bilayers composed of N,N,- dimethyl- N,N,- dioctadecylammonium bromide or
1,2 - dioleoyl - 3 - trimethylammonium - propane chloride were spread.
Centrally indenting these 'nanodrums' with an atomic force microscope tip yields
force-indentation curves, which we quantitatively analyze by solving the
corresponding shape equations of continuum curvature elasticity. Since the
measured response depends in a known way on the system geometry (pore size, tip
radius) and on material parameters (bending modulus, lateral tension), this opens
the possibility to monitor local elastic properties of lipid membranes in a
well-controlled setting.
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Biophys. J., 91(1): pp. 217-226, 2006.
![](grafiken/02multibody_icon.gif) | Interface mediated interactions between particles -- a geometrical approach
Martin Michael Müller, Markus Deserno, Jemal Guven |
Particles bound to an interface interact because they deform its shape.
The stresses that result are fully encoded in the geometry and described
by a divergence-free surface stress tensor. This stress tensor can be
used to express the force on a particle as a line integral along any
conveniently chosen closed contour that surrounds the particle. The
resulting expression is exact (i.e., free of any 'smallness' assumptions)
and independent of the chosen surface parametrization. Additional surface
degrees of freedom, such as vector fields describing lipid tilt, are readily
included in this formalism. As an illustration, we derive the exact force
for several important surface Hamiltonians in various symmetric two-particle
configurations in terms of the midplane geometry; its sign is evident in
certain interesting limits. Specializing to the linear regime, where the
shape can be analytically determined, these general expressions yield
force-distance relations, several of which have originally been derived
by using an energy based approach.
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Phys. Rev. E, 72(6): 061407, 2005. See also cond-mat/0506019. Also featured in the Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research.
![](grafiken/01surfacemed_icon.jpg) | Geometry of surface-mediated interactions
Martin Michael Müller, Markus Deserno, Jemal Guven |
Abstract
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Europhys. Lett., 69(3): pp. 482-488, 2005. See also cond-mat/0409043.
2. Books
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New Trends in the Physics and Mechanics of Biological Systems
Lecture Notes of the Les Houches Summer School, vol. 92 (Oxford University Press, 2011),
edited by Martine Ben Amar, Alain Goriely, Martin Michael Müller and Leticia Cugliandolo.
Chapter 9:
The physics of the cell membrane
Martin Michael Müller and Martine Ben Amar.
3. Theses
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Theoretical examinations of interface mediated interactions between colloidal particles,
diploma thesis (2004).
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Theoretical studies of fluid membrane mechanics, dissertation (2007).
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Symmetry breaking in bioelasticity, habilitation thesis (2015).
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