Fig. 3.

Schematic diagram of a phospholipid bilayer vesicle with bound nanoparticles. Binding of anionic nanoparticles to a lipid bilayer in the fluid phase causes the nanoparticle to template a gel phase in the place where the nanoparticle binds. Binding-induced reorientation of the phosphocholine (PC) head group causes lipids in the fluid phase to have lower density (A) than in the gel phase (B). In the PC head group, P and N are denoted by blue and red, respectively. Reproduced with permission from ref. 33. Copyright © 2008, National Academy of Sciences