Hydrodynamics of a semipermeable inextensible membrane under flow and confinement

Lipid bilayer membranes have a native permeability for water molecules. In the absence of osmolarity, the water flux is often assumed to be negligible. However, we demonstrate that semipermeability can cause large amounts of fluid exchange, even in the absence of osmolarity. We investigate the effects of semipermeability on the hydrodynamics of an inextensible vesicle under mechanical loads caused by an external flow and extreme confinement. Several comparisons are made between impermeable and semipermeable vesicles.