Giant Vesicles: Micromanipulation of Membrane Bilayers

Micromanipulation of giant vesicles—spherical bilayer assemblies with a size and curvature comparable to living cells—is possible using common cytological techniques. This allows discrete colloidal particles to be controlled and experimented on, simplifying the investigation of mechanical, thermal, and (bio)chemical perturbations. Some of the approaches to giant vesicle micromanipulation as well as several recent developments are highlighted, including optical trapping and the possibility of adding or removing components to or from a vesicle's interior by direct insertion of a glass micropipet.