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Related Concept Videos

Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

Cell membranes are composed of phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates loosely attached to one another through chemical interactions. Molecules are generally able to move about in the plane of the membrane, giving the membrane its flexible nature called fluidity. Two other features of the membrane contribute to membrane fluidity: the chemical structure of the phospholipids and the presence of cholesterol in the membrane.Fatty acids tails of phospholipids can be either saturated or...
Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

Membrane fluidity is explained by the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, which describes the plasma membrane structure as a mosaic of components—including phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates—that gives the membrane a fluid character.
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is a relatively...
Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer01:35

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

Biological membranes show uneven distribution of different types of lipids in the inner and outer layers, resulting in transverse asymmetric membranes. The treatment of the erythrocyte membrane with the enzyme phospholipase confirmed the asymmetric nature of the lipid bilayer. The enzyme hydrolyzes lipids into fatty acids and hydrophilic groups. The phospholipase acts only on the outer layer of the membrane, while the inner layer remains intact. The phospholipase treatment resulted in 80%...
Membrane Domains01:18

Membrane Domains

The membrane domains concentrate specific lipids and proteins at one place within the membrane, which helps in cell signaling, adhesion, and other critical cellular processes. These domains can differ in size, composition, function, and lifespan.
Protein Domains
The membrane comprises a group of distinct proteins responsible for carrying out a cell's specific function. For example, the plasma membrane of the human sperm, or a single germ cell, contains a unique set of proteins in the anterior...
Assembly of the Lipid Bilayer in the ER01:28

Assembly of the Lipid Bilayer in the ER

Biological membranes are more than just a barrier separating cell cytoplasm from the outside environment. They are highly dynamic and help maintain the integrity and physiological stability of the cells as well as membrane-bound organelles. Membranes also play vital roles in cell-to-cell and intracellular communication.
A large chunk of any biological membrane is composed of phospholipids. These lipids have a heterogeneous distribution across different subcellular organelles and even between...
Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation00:59

Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation

Different physical properties of lipids and proteins allow them to localize and form distinct islands or domains in the membrane. Some membrane domains are formed due to protein-protein interactions, whereas others are formed due to the presence of specific lipids such as sphingolipids and sterols—for example, large proteins, such as bacteriorhodopsin, aggregate and create distinct domains.
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with cytoskeletal...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Construction of Model Lipid Membranes Incorporating G-protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs)
09:45

Construction of Model Lipid Membranes Incorporating G-protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs)

Published on: February 5, 2022

Membrane lipid domains distinct from cholesterol/sphingomyelin-rich rafts are involved in the ABCA1-mediated lipid

A J Mendez1, G Lin, D P Wade

  • 1University of Miami School of Medicine, Diabetes Research Institute, Miami, Florida 33101, USA. amendez2@med.miami.edu

The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|November 14, 2000
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cellular cholesterol efflux via ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCA1 does not involve membrane rafts. This pathway, crucial for lipid secretion, is distinct from cholesterol removal by high-density lipoproteins (HDL).

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Lipid Exchange Assay in Living Cells
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Lipid Exchange Assay in Living Cells

Published on: March 21, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Lipid Metabolism

Background:

  • Cellular cholesterol homeostasis is vital, with efflux mechanisms preventing accumulation.
  • ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCA1 mediates cholesterol efflux to apolipoproteins.
  • Membrane rafts are specialized cholesterol-rich domains in the plasma membrane.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if ABCA1-mediated lipid efflux selectively removes lipids from membrane rafts.
  • To determine the role of membrane rafts in apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) versus high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-mediated cholesterol efflux.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed ABCA1 association with membrane rafts using detergent solubility and colocalization studies.
  • Quantified lipid efflux to apoA-I and HDL after disrupting raft structure with filipin or sphingomyelinase.
  • Studied cholesterol efflux in Tangier disease fibroblasts lacking functional ABCA1.

Main Results:

  • ABCA1 was not found in cholesterol/sphingomyelin-rich membrane raft domains.
  • ApoA-I-mediated lipid efflux primarily involved lipids outside of membrane rafts.
  • HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux, unlike apoA-I, was partially dependent on and affected by membrane raft disruption.

Conclusions:

  • Cholesterol and sphingomyelin-rich membrane rafts are not a source of lipids for ABCA1-mediated efflux.
  • ABCA1 functions independently of membrane raft domains in the cellular lipid secretory pathway.
  • Membrane raft involvement in cholesterol efflux is specific to lipidated particles like HDL, not lipid-poor apolipoproteins.