Flexoelectricity and elasticity of asymmetric biomembranes.

In view of the well-established charge and dipolar asymmetry of the two leaflets of a native membrane, the theory of flexoelectricity (and curvature elasticity) is extended to take into account this asymmetry using linear and nonlinear forms of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation. The results are discussed with respect to data from atomic force microscopy studies of electromotility in biomembranes.