Anomalously Slow Domain Growth in Membranes with Asymmetric Transbilayer Lipid Distribution

The effect of asymmetry in transbilayer lipid distribution on the phase separation of self-assembled multicomponent fluid vesicles is investigated numerically via dissipative particle dynamics. We show that this asymmetry induces a spontaneous curvature wich alters significantly the morphology and dynamics of the lipid mixture. In particular, at intermediate tension, domain growth is found to be anomalously slow dynamics. In contrast, in the limiting cases of low and high tensions, the dynamics proceed toward full phase separation.