Recently, we reported the fusogenic properties of these SNPs and proposed a mechanistic explanation for the fusion process . The size of these NPs is within a critical range where the adhesion energy between the NP and membrane approximately balances the bending energy of the membrane to wrap the NP. Therefore, these SNPs induce a combination of membrane curvature and increased membrane tension that can facilitate fusion between neighbouring membranes. Membrane tension then dictates the intermediate states formed during the vesicle fusion process .