Control of membrane structure and organization through chemical recognition

Cell membranes consist of a fluidic medium of lipids and proteins that organize into specific submicron scale structures for signaling and molecular trafficking processes. These organized molecular assemblies form as a result of the structure and chemistry of the membrane components as well as the interactions of those components with analytes from solution. Although considerable research has focused on the structure and chemistry of membrane components and their ability to form organized assemblies, less attention has been paid toward the influence that chemical recognition has upon membrane reorganization. This review focuses on the recognition and binding of metal ions, small molecules, polyelectrolytes, and proteins on model membrane systems to assess the effects of long- and short-range interactions upon the molecular organization of the membrane. Chemical recognition can induce dramatic changes on the membrane's phase transition temperature and the clustering or dispersion of membrane components.