The stability of solitons in biomembranes and nerves

• Published in: The European physical journal. E, Soft matter and biological physics Vol. 34; no. 6; p. 57
• Main Authors: Lautrup, B., Appali, R., Jackson, A. D., Heimburg, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.06.2011; EDP Sciences
• Subjects: Biological and Medical Physics; Biological and medical sciences; Biophysics; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Complex Systems; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Mathematics in biology. Statistical analysis. Models. Metrology. Data processing in biology (general aspects); Membrane Lipids - chemistry; Membranes - chemistry; Models, Chemical; Nanotechnology; Nerve Tissue - chemistry; Neurons - chemistry; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Polymer Sciences; Regular Article; Soft and Granular Matter; Surfaces and Interfaces; Temperature; Thermodynamics; Thin Films; Soliton; Solitary Wave; Sound Velocity; Boussinesq Equation; Solitonic Solution; Axon; Biomembrane; Boussinesq equation
• ISSN: 1292-8941; 1292-895X
• DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2011-11057-0

We examine the stability of a class of solitons, obtained from a generalization of the Boussinesq equation, which have been proposed to be relevant for pulse propagation in biomembranes and nerves. These solitons are found to be stable with respect to small-amplitude fluctuations. They emerge naturally from non-solitonic initial excitations and are robust in the presence of dissipation. Solitary waves pass through each other with only minor dissipation when their amplitude is small. Large-amplitude solitons fall apart into several pulses and small-amplitude noise upon collision when the maximum density of the membrane is limited by the density of the solid phase membrane.