Figure 2.

Membrane curvature induces lipid-packing defects in regions of positive curvature. Top view of a 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) bilayer membrane induced to curve by gradual lateral compression during molecular dynamics simulation. Lipid packing defects, as measured by solvent accessible surface area, are mapped to the surface as black dots. Lipid head groups are shown in orange and red, and hydrocarbon tails in white and blue. The region of negative curvature, in the area of y ≈ −20, shows few packing defects. Figure adapted with permission.^[27]