Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Mechanisms of Membrane-bending01:15

Mechanisms of Membrane-bending

The living membranes are flexible due to their fluid mosaic nature; however, their bending into different shapes is an active process regulated by specific lipids and proteins. The membrane bending can be transient as seen in vesicles or stable for a long time as in microvilli. Cells regulate the size, location, and duration of the membrane curvature.
Membrane bending can happen due to intrinsic changes in lipid composition or extrinsic association with different proteins. The proteins involved...
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...
Fluid Mosaic Model01:19

Fluid Mosaic Model

Scientists identified the plasma membrane in the 1890s and its principal chemical components (lipids and proteins) by 1915. The model for plasma membrane structure, proposed in 1935 by Hugh Davson and James Danielli, was the first model to be widely accepted in the scientific community. The model was based on the plasma membrane's "railroad track" appearance in early electron micrographs. Davson and Danielli theorized that the plasma membrane's structure resembled a sandwich with the analogy of...
Fluid Mosaic Model01:34

Fluid Mosaic Model

The fluid mosaic model was first proposed as a visual representation of research observations. The model comprises the composition and dynamics of membranes and serves as a foundation for future membrane-related studies. The model depicts the structure of the plasma membrane with a variety of components, which include phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. These integral molecules are loosely bound, defining the cell’s border and providing fluidity for optimal function.LipidsThe most...
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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Reversible & Microbubble Concentration-Dependent Permeabilization of an <i>In Vitro</i> Human Endothelial Barrier to Small Molecules Using Ultrasound: Implications for Neurodegenerative Diseases Therapy.

Molecular pharmaceutics·2026
Same author

Development of acoustic systems for ultrasound attenuation measurement in polydimethylsiloxane.

Medical engineering & physics·2026
Same author

Combined Docetaxel-Loaded Perfluorocarbon Nanodroplets with Ultrasound-Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption for Effective Glioblastoma Treatment in Mice Model.

International journal of nanomedicine·2026
Same author

Immunomodulatory microbubbles targeting integrin αvβ3 in combination with immunotherapy for the theranostic of anaplastic thyroid cancer in mice.

Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society·2025
Same author

Author Correction: Kinetic study of membrane protein interactions: from three to two dimensions.

Scientific reports·2024
Same author

Kinetic study of membrane protein interactions: from three to two dimensions.

Scientific reports·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Pulling Membrane Nanotubes from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles
06:26

Pulling Membrane Nanotubes from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles

Published on: December 7, 2017

Molecular origin of model membrane bending rigidity.

Erol Kurtisovski1, Nicolas Taulier, Raymond Ober

  • 1Laboratoire de Physique Statistique, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris, CNRS UMR8550, 24 rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris, France.

Physical Review Letters
|August 7, 2007
PubMed
Summary

The bending modulus (kappa) of surfactant bilayers depends on molecular structure and water content. Surfactant conformation significantly influences bilayer flexibility, impacting their behavior in different environments.

More Related Videos

Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy as a Unique Probe for Lipid Membrane Dynamics and Membrane-Protein Interactions
10:02

Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy as a Unique Probe for Lipid Membrane Dynamics and Membrane-Protein Interactions

Published on: May 27, 2021

Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions
06:32

Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions

Published on: July 28, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Pulling Membrane Nanotubes from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles
06:26

Pulling Membrane Nanotubes from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles

Published on: December 7, 2017

Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy as a Unique Probe for Lipid Membrane Dynamics and Membrane-Protein Interactions
10:02

Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy as a Unique Probe for Lipid Membrane Dynamics and Membrane-Protein Interactions

Published on: May 27, 2021

Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions
06:32

Reconstitution of Septin Assembly at Membranes to Study Biophysical Properties and Functions

Published on: July 28, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Physical Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Colloid Science

Background:

  • Surfactant bilayers form lamellar phases crucial in various applications.
  • Understanding bilayer bending modulus (kappa) is key to predicting membrane behavior.
  • Nonionic C(i)E(j) surfactants offer tunable properties for bilayer studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the bending modulus (kappa) of C(i)E(j) surfactant bilayers.
  • Determine how molecular structure and water content affect kappa.
  • Elucidate the relationship between surfactant conformation and bilayer elasticity.

Main Methods:

  • Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) technique used to measure kappa.
  • Studied both unswollen bilayers in water and water-swollen bilayers in dodecane.
  • Analyzed various nonionic C(i)E(j) surfactants with different chain and head group lengths.

Main Results:

  • For unswollen bilayers, kappa decreases with increased area per molecule and polar head length.
  • Kappa increases with longer aliphatic chains at constant area per molecule.
  • In water-swollen bilayers, kappa decreases with increasing water content, approaching monolayer values.

Conclusions:

  • Bilayer bending modulus is strongly dependent on surfactant molecular architecture.
  • Water content significantly alters bilayer elasticity through monolayer decoupling.
  • Surfactant conformation is a primary determinant of the bending modulus (kappa).