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Related Concept Videos

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer01:35

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

Biological membranes show uneven distribution of different types of lipids in the inner and outer layers, resulting in transverse asymmetric membranes. The treatment of the erythrocyte membrane with the enzyme phospholipase confirmed the asymmetric nature of the lipid bilayer. The enzyme hydrolyzes lipids into fatty acids and hydrophilic groups. The phospholipase acts only on the outer layer of the membrane, while the inner layer remains intact. The phospholipase treatment resulted in 80%...
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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...
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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...
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Mosaic nature of the membrane
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Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Lipid Bilayer Experiments with Contact Bubble Bilayers for Patch-Clampers
07:18

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Published on: January 16, 2019

Interface water dynamics and porating electric fields for phospholipid bilayers.

Matthew J Ziegler1, P Thomas Vernier

  • 1Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0271, USA. mziegler@mosis.com

The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B
|October 8, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Electric fields permeabilize lipid bilayers, enabling cell poration. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that lipid tail length and bilayer thickness influence the electric field strength needed for pore formation and water intrusion sites.

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Last Updated: Jun 29, 2026

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Temperature-Controlled Assembly and Characterization of a Droplet Interface Bilayer
10:11

Temperature-Controlled Assembly and Characterization of a Droplet Interface Bilayer

Published on: April 19, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Computational Biology

Background:

  • Lipid bilayers act as barriers but can be permeabilized by electric fields, a process crucial for cell poration and transfection.
  • Understanding the precise mechanisms of electroporation, including the roles of local atomic details and larger electrostatic gradients, remains an active area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of lipid composition and bilayer structure on electroporation using molecular dynamics simulations.
  • To elucidate the factors determining the electric field strength required for pore formation and the initiation sites of water intrusion.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized molecular dynamics simulations to model electroporation in various phospholipid systems (DLPC, DPPC, POPC, DOPC).
  • Analyzed the effects of lipid hydrocarbon tail length, bilayer thickness, and electric field strength on membrane properties and water permeation.

Main Results:

  • Determined minimum porating electric fields for DLPC, DPPC, POPC, and DOPC bilayers, correlating strongly with bilayer thickness.
  • Observed dynamic headgroup dipole angles and electric field-induced water dipole reorientation, with DOPC showing greater sensitivity.
  • Identified that pore initiation sites (anode- or cathode-facing leaflet) depend on bilayer composition and localized electric field polarity.

Conclusions:

  • Lipid bilayer composition, particularly tail length and thickness, significantly impacts electroporation thresholds and mechanisms.
  • While local water and headgroup dynamics play a role, bilayer thickness is a key determinant of the porating field strength.
  • The initiation site of electroporation is influenced by bilayer composition and the local electric field at the membrane interface.