Figure 7. Penetration of ellipsoidal nanoparticles with different shapes across a lipid bilayer.

(A) Ellipsoid particle, where L_a, L_b and L_c represent the half-lengths of the three axes. (B) Minimum driving forces required to attract ellipsoids of different volumes through the lipid bilayer. By varying the aspect ratio, the shape anisotropy of the particles are adjusted (L_a/L_c) at fixed L_b and volume. (C,D) Computer-simulated diagram showing the translocation of ellipsoids with (C) vertical and (D) horizontal starting orientations. L_a = 1.6 nm, L_b = 3.2 nm and L_c = 6.4 nm for (C), and L_a = 6.4 nm, L_b = 3.2 nm and L_c = 1.6 nm for (D).

Reprinted with permission from [77]. © Nature Publishing Group (2010).