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Membrane Fluidity

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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...

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Mosaic nature of the membrane
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy

SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy

Published on: August 24, 2016

Self-adhesion among phospholipid vesicles.

F M Menger¹, Hailing Zhang

¹Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. menger@emory.edu

Journal of the American Chemical Society

|February 2, 2006

Summary

Researchers created a novel compound that self-adheres to phospholipid bilayers, inducing membrane-membrane attachments. This biomimetic approach advances understanding of cellular interactions and membrane fusion processes.

Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Materials Science
Cell Biology

Background:

Phospholipid bilayers are fundamental to cellular structure and function.
Understanding membrane-membrane interactions is crucial for biological processes like cell adhesion and fusion.
Synthetic compounds can mimic biological membrane behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

To synthesize a novel compound capable of interacting with phospholipid bilayers.
To investigate the self-adhesion properties of the synthesized compound.
To determine if the compound can induce membrane-membrane attachments.

Main Methods:

Synthesis of a novel amphipathic compound with a hydrophobic steroid anchor and a hydrophilic multi-hydrogen bonding unit.
Characterization of compound-bilayer interactions using light scattering.

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Last Updated: Jul 7, 2026

SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy

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Microscopic analysis including light microscopy and cryo-high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (cryo-HRSEM) to visualize membrane structures and attachments.

Main Results:

The synthesized compound successfully binds to phospholipid bilayers via its hydrophobic steroid component.
The hydrophilic unit of the compound projects into the aqueous environment and exhibits self-adhesion.
The compound effectively induces membrane-membrane attachments, observed through various imaging techniques.

Conclusions:

The novel compound effectively bridges phospholipid bilayers, mimicking biological membrane-membrane interactions.
This synthetic system provides a model for studying the mechanisms of membrane adhesion.
The findings have implications for biomaterials, drug delivery, and understanding cellular communication.