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Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Phase transition of individually addressable microstructured membranes visualized by imaging ellipsometry.
Simon Faiss1, Steffen Schuy, Daniela Weiskopf
1Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Mainz, Welder Weg 11, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B
|November 30, 2007
Summary
Microstructured lipid bilayers exhibit altered phase transition temperatures and cooperativity compared to vesicles. However, their lateral diffusion remains largely unaffected, demonstrating their potential as a stable model system.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Lipid bilayers are fundamental to cell membranes.
- Understanding their phase transitions is crucial for biological and materials applications.
- Microstructuring offers a novel approach to studying bilayer properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phase transition behavior of microstructured lipid bilayers.
- To compare their thermotropic properties with traditional vesicle models.
- To assess the influence of cholesterol on these microstructured systems.
Main Methods:
- Imaging ellipsometry was used to measure area expansion and thickness.
- Micromolding in capillaries created microstructured bilayers on silicon substrates.
- Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching determined lateral diffusion constants.
Main Results:
- Phase transition temperatures (T(M)) increased by 2-6°C with reduced cooperativity compared to vesicles.
- Lateral diffusion constants showed only marginal decreases.
- Established dependencies of T(M) on lipid chain length and cholesterol content were reproduced.
Conclusions:
- Microstructured lipid bilayers provide a stable platform for studying phase transitions.
- They offer an internal standard for more accurate measurements.
- These findings advance the understanding of lipid behavior in structured environments.
