Figure 12

Surface aggregation patterns of unbound LDL receptors associated with different values of the fundamental ratio λ and non-radially symmetric-polarized insertion modes. a) the surface pattern made by λ = v ₁/2D ₀ and the q-polarized insertion mode S ^rθ(0, 0, q, m, α), with m = 2.3, δ _q (m, α) = 1 and α = π/4; b) surface pattern associated with the case λ = v ₁/2D ₁ and the p-polarized insertion mode S ^rθ(0, p, 0, m, α) with α = π/6, m = 9.5, and δ _p (m, α) = 1; c) the surface aggregation pattern formed by λ = v ₁/2D _ext and q-polarized insertion S ^rθ(0, p, q, m, α) with m = 1.2, α = π/6 and δ _q (m, α) = 1; d) the surface receptor pattern for λ = v ₁/2D _ext and p-polarized insertion S ^rθ(0, p, q, m, α) with m = 9.5, α = π/4 and δ _p (m, α) = 1. The patterns shown are consistent with the capping phenomena; that is, when convection is fast (v = v ₁) and diffusion is normal (D = D ₀) a graduated distribution in the direction of flow streamlines is observed, a) and b). But in the presence of a fast convective transport, suitable values of the diffusion coefficient (e. g. D = D _ext ) can reverse the capping effect and induce an effective randomization of the distribution of unbound LDL receptors, c) and d). In any event, in the presence of a retrograde membrane flow, no receptor surface clusters are formed.