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 | 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 |
Intermediate filaments are the least explored among the large cytoskeletal elements.
We show here that they display conformational anomalies in narrow microfluidic channels.
Their unusual behavior can be understood as the consequence of a previously undetected, large scale
helically curved superstructure. Confinement in a channel orders the otherwise soft, strongly
fluctuating helical filaments and enhances their structural correlations, giving rise to experimentally
detectable, strongly oscillating tangent correlation functions. We propose an explanation for the detected
intrinsic curving phenomenon - an elastic shape instability that we call autocoiling. The mechanism
involves self-induced filament buckling via a surface stress located at the outside of the
cross-section. The results agree with ultrastructural findings and rationalize for the commonly observed
looped intermediate filament shapes. Beyond curvature, explaining the molecular origin of the detected helical
torsion remains an interesting challenge.
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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 |
We theoretically study the conformations of a helical semi-flexible filament
confined to a two-dimensional surface. This squeezed helix exhibits a variety of unexpected shapes
resembling circles, waves or spirals depending on the material parameters. We explore the conformation
space in detail and show that the shapes can be understood as the mutual elastic interaction of
conformational quasi-particles. Our theoretical results are potentially useful to
determine the material parameters of such helical filaments in an experimental setting.
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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 |
We study the deformations of a fluid membrane imposed by adhering stiff
bio-filaments due to the torques they apply. In the limit of small deformations, we
derive a general expression for the energy and the deformation field of the membrane.
This expression is specialised to different important cases including closed and helical
bio-filaments. In particular, we analyse interface-mediated interactions and membrane
wrapping when the filaments apply a local torque distribution on a tubular membrane.
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Soft Matter, 12: 5747, 2016.
![](grafiken/26confinementtorus_icon.png) | Toroidal membrane vesicles in spherical confinement
Lila Bouzar, Ferhat Menas, Martin Michael Müller |
Abstract
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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
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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 |
Abstract
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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 |
Abstract
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 |
Abstract
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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
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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 |
Particles embedded in a fluctuating interface experience forces and torques
mediated by the deformations and by the thermal fluctuations of the medium.
Considering a system of two cylinders bound to a fluid membrane we show that
the entropic contribution enhances the curvature-mediated repulsion between
the two cylinders. This is contrary to the usual attractive Casimir force in
the absence of curvature-mediated interactions. For a large distance between
the cylinders, we retrieve the renormalization of the surface tension of a
flat membrane due to thermal fluctuations.
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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 |
A variational framework is introduced to describe how a surface bends when it is subject to local constraints on its geometry. This framework is applied to describe the patterns of a folded sheet of paper. The unstretchability of paper implies a constraint on the surface metric; bending is penalized by an energy quadratic in mean curvature. The local Lagrange multipliers enforcing the constraint are identified with a conserved tangential stress that couples to the extrinsic curvature of the sheet. The framework is illustrated by examining the deformation of a flat sheet into a generalized cone.
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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 |
Measurements with an atomic force microscope (AFM) offer a direct way to
probe elastic properties of lipid bilayer membranes locally: provided
the underlying stress-strain relation is known, material parameters such as
surface tension or bending rigidity may be deduced.
In a recent experiment a pore-spanning membrane was poked with an AFM tip,
yielding a linear behavior of the force-indentation curves. A theoretical
model for this case is presented here which describes these curves in the
framework of Helfrich theory. The linear behavior of the measurements is
reproduced if one neglects the influence of adhesion between tip and membrane.
Including it via an adhesion balance changes the situation significantly:
force-distance curves cease to be linear, hysteresis and nonzero detachment
forces can show up. The characteristics of this rich scenario are discussed
in detail in this article.
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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 |
Soft interfaces can mediate interactions between particles bound to
them. The force transmitted through the surface geometry on a
particle may be expressed as a closed line integral of the surface
stress tensor around that particle. This contour may be deformed to
exploit the symmetries present; for two identical particles, one
obtains an exact expression for the force between them in terms of
the local surface geometry of their mid-plane; in the case of a
fluid membrane the sign of the interaction is often evident. The
approach, by construction, is adapted directly to the surface and is
independent of its parameterization. Furthermore, it is applicable
for arbitrarily large deformations; in particular, it remains valid
beyond the linear small-gradient regime.
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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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