Topology and kinetic pathways of colloidosome assembly and disassembly

Closed capsules, such as lipid vesicles, soap bubbles, and emulsion droplets, are ubiquitous throughout biology, engineered matter, and everyday life. Their creation and disintegration are defined by a singularity that separates a topologically distinct extended liquid film from a boundary-free closed shell. Such topology-changing processes are of fundamental interest. They are also essential for intercellular transport, transcellular communication, and drug delivery. However, studies of vesicle formation are challenging because of the rapid dynamics and small length scale involved. We develop fluid colloidosomes, micrometer-sized analogues of lipid vesicles. The mechanics of colloidosomes and lipid vesicles are described by the same theoretical model. We study colloidosomes close to their disk-to-sphere topological transition. Intrinsic colloidal length and time scales slow down the dynamics to reveal colloidosome conformations in real time during their assembly and disassembly. Remark..., , , # Topology and kinetic pathways of colloidosome assembly and disassembly

Dataset DOI: [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.g4f4qrg03](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.g4f4qrg03)

## Description of the data and file structure

The dataset includes the main folder EncapsilationImages.zip containing the following sub-folders:

* AllClosedColloidosomes
* EncapsulationImages
* ExtendingVesicle
* PendantColloidosomes
* SinglePoreUnwrapping
* TwoPoreOpening

These were all taken on a spinning disk confocal. 

### Files and variables

#### File: Code.zip

**Description:** Contains a Python notebook to construct the energy landscapes of the one- and two-pore colloidosomes. Contains a Python notebook to generate the energy-minimizing shapes for closed colloidosomes, pendant colloidosomes, and one-pore and two-pore colloidosomes. 

#### File: EncapsulationImages.zip

**Description:** Contains raw images used to make Figures 4 B,D. Images formatted as TIFF files.

#### File: AllClosedColloidosomes.zip

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