Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 April 2013
We model a cylindrical inclusion (lipid or membrane protein) translating with velocity   $U$  in a thin planar membrane (phospholipid bilayer) that is supported above and below by Brinkman media (hydrogels). The total force
 $U$  in a thin planar membrane (phospholipid bilayer) that is supported above and below by Brinkman media (hydrogels). The total force   $F$ , membrane velocity, and solvent velocity are calculated as functions of three independent dimensionless parameters:
 $F$ , membrane velocity, and solvent velocity are calculated as functions of three independent dimensionless parameters:   $\Lambda = \eta a/ ({\eta }_{m} h)$ ,
 $\Lambda = \eta a/ ({\eta }_{m} h)$ ,   ${\ell }_{1} / a$  and
 ${\ell }_{1} / a$  and   ${\ell }_{2} / a$ . Here,
 ${\ell }_{2} / a$ . Here,   $\eta $  and
 $\eta $  and   ${\eta }_{m} $  are the solvent and membrane shear viscosities,
 ${\eta }_{m} $  are the solvent and membrane shear viscosities,   $a$  is the particle radius,
 $a$  is the particle radius,   $h$  is the membrane thickness, and
 $h$  is the membrane thickness, and   ${ \ell }_{1}^{2} $  and
 ${ \ell }_{1}^{2} $  and   ${ \ell }_{2}^{2} $  are the upper and lower hydrogel permeabilities. As expected, the dimensionless mobility
 ${ \ell }_{2}^{2} $  are the upper and lower hydrogel permeabilities. As expected, the dimensionless mobility   $4\mathrm{\pi} \eta aU/ F= 4\mathrm{\pi} \eta aD/ ({k}_{B} T)$  (proportional to the self-diffusion coefficient,
 $4\mathrm{\pi} \eta aU/ F= 4\mathrm{\pi} \eta aD/ ({k}_{B} T)$  (proportional to the self-diffusion coefficient,   $D$ ) decreases with decreasing gel permeabilities (increasing gel concentrations), furnishing a quantitative interpretation of how porous, gel-like supports hinder membrane dynamics. The model also provides a means of inferring hydrogel permeability and, perhaps, surface morphology from tracer diffusion measurements.
 $D$ ) decreases with decreasing gel permeabilities (increasing gel concentrations), furnishing a quantitative interpretation of how porous, gel-like supports hinder membrane dynamics. The model also provides a means of inferring hydrogel permeability and, perhaps, surface morphology from tracer diffusion measurements.
 ${\mathrm{Al} }_{x} {\mathrm{Ga} }_{1- x} \mathrm{N} $
                     
                  -A new material system for biosensors. Adv. Funct. Mater.
               13
               (11), 841–846.Google Scholar
                        ${\mathrm{Al} }_{x} {\mathrm{Ga} }_{1- x} \mathrm{N} $
                     
                  -A new material system for biosensors. Adv. Funct. Mater.
               13
               (11), 841–846.Google Scholar