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Updated: Jul 1, 2026

Lipid-Protein Membrane Structure-Function Characterization using Droplet Interface Bilayers
Published on: June 12, 2026
Interconnected networks: structural and dynamic characterization of aqueous dispersions of
Pierandrea Lo Nostro1, Sergio Murgia, Marco Lagi
1Department of Chemistry and CSGI, University of Florence, via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy. pln@csgi.unifi.it.
Abstract:
Aqueous dispersions of the phospholipid dioctanoylphosphatidylcholine (diC 8PC) phase-separate below a cloud-point temperature, depending on lipid concentration. The lower phase is viscous and rich in lipid. The structure and dynamics of this system were explored via cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and NMR. The lower phase comprises a highly interconnected tridimensional network of wormlike micelles. A molecular mechanism for the phase separation is suggested.
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