Domains and rafts in membranes - hidden dimensions of selforganization.

Both biomembranes and biomimetic membranes such as lipid bilayers withseveral components contain intramembrane domains and rafts.Macromolecules, which are anchored to the membrane but have no tendeney tocluster, induce curved nanodomains. Clustering of membrane componentsleads to larger domains which can grow up to a certain maximal size andthen undergo a budding process. The maximal domain size depends on theinterplay of spontaneous curvature, bending rigidity, and line tension.It is argued that this interplay governs the formation of bothclathrin-coated buds and caveolae. Finally, membrane adhesion often leadsto domain formation within the contact zone.