Mechanical properties of a giant liposome studied using optical tweezers

The mechanical properties of a micrometer-sized giant liposome are studied by deforming it from the inside using dual-beam optical tweezers. As the liposome is extended, its shape changes from a sphere to a lemon shape, and finally, a tubular part is generated. The surface tension σ and the bending rigidity κ of the lipid membrane are obtained from the measured force–extension curve. In a one-phase liposome, it was found that σ increases as the charged component increases but κ remains approximately constant. In a two-phase liposome, the characteristic deformation and the force–extension curve differ from those observed for the one-phase liposome.