Figure 2.
A two-component CGMD RBC membrane model, which comprises the lipid bilayer and cytoskeleton network, is applied to simulate mature RBC ((A): top view and (B): side view) and (C) immature reticulocyte membranes. Red particles represent lipid particles, white particles represent actin junctions, gray particles represent spectrin particles, green particles represent band-3 particles, and blue particles represent glycophorin particles. The and the connectivity between the spectrin filaments and actin junctions in the reticulocyte model can be tuned to simulate reticulocytes at different stages of maturation. (D) The membrane is sheared to a shear strain of 1 to measure the shear modulus. (E) Shear stress-strain responses of the membrane for = 65, 75, and 85 nm, respectively, are shown. To see this figure in color, go online.