The Secret Ballet Inside Multivesicular Bodies

Abstract

Lipid bilayers possess the capacity for self-assembly due to the amphipathic nature of lipid molecules, which have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions. When confined, lipid bilayers exhibit astonishing versatility in their forms, adopting diverse shapes that are challenging to observe through experimental means. Exploiting this adaptability, lipid structures motivate the development of bio-inspired mechanomaterials and integrated nanobio-interfaces that could seamlessly merge with biological entities, ultimately bridging the gap between synthetic and biological systems. In this work, we demonstrate how, in numerical simulations of multivesicular bodies, a fascinating evolution unfolds from an initial semblance of order toward states of higher entropy over time. We observe dynamic rearrangements in confined vesicles that reveal unexpected limit shapes of distinct geometric patterns. We identify five structures as the basic building blocks that systematically repeat under various conditions of size and composition. Moreover, we observe more complex and less frequent shapes that emerge in confined spaces. Our results provide insights into the dynamics of multivesicular systems, offering a richer understanding of how confined lipid bodies spontaneously self-organize.