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Related Concept Videos

Membrane Lipids01:32

Membrane Lipids

Lipids are an essential component of all biological membranes. The average lipid content in mammalian membranes is 50%, though it can be as low as 20% in the inner mitochondrial membrane or as high as 80% in the myelin sheath present around the nerve cells.
Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and sphingomyelin are the most common phospholipids present in mammalian membranes. At physiological pH, phosphatidylserine is negatively charged, while the other three...
Membrane Lipids01:32

Membrane Lipids

Lipids are an essential component of all biological membranes. The average lipid content in mammalian membranes is 50%, though it can be as low as 20% in the inner mitochondrial membrane or as high as 80% in the myelin sheath present around the nerve cells.
Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and sphingomyelin are the most common phospholipids present in mammalian membranes. At physiological pH, phosphatidylserine is negatively charged, while the other three...
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%...
Lipids as Anchors01:32

Lipids as Anchors

In the plasma membrane, the lipids forming the bilayer can also act as an anchor to tether proteins to the membrane. The three main types of lipid anchors found in eukaryotes are – prenyl groups, fatty acyl groups, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol or GPI groups. Prenyl and fatty acyl groups act as anchors on the cytosolic surface of the membrane, whereas GPI anchors proteins on the extracellular side.
The carboxy-terminal of most of the prenylated proteins, such as Ras proteins, contains the...
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...

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Generation of Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells with Differing Sialylated Phenotypes
13:36

Generation of Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells with Differing Sialylated Phenotypes

Published on: October 20, 2023

Polysialic acid can mediate membrane interactions by interacting with phospholipids.

Teresa Janas1, Krzysztof Nowotarski, Tadeusz Janas

  • 1Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA. teresa.janas@colorado.edu

Chemistry and Physics of Lipids
|December 19, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Polysialic acid (polySia) associates with phospholipid bilayers, influencing membrane interactions. This suggests polySia regulates cell surface interactions similarly whether attached to NCAM or lipids.

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Polysialic acid (polySia) is a post-translational modification found on neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and other cell surfaces.
  • PolySia influences cell-cell interactions, affecting both cis and trans membrane interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of phospholipids in polysialic acid-mediated membrane interactions.
  • To determine how free polysialic acid affects the biophysical properties of phospholipid bilayers and vesicles.

Main Methods:

  • Studied liposomes and vesicles composed of phosphatidylcholine.
  • Analyzed surface pH, molecular area, phase transitions (DPPC bilayers), cyclic voltammograms (BLMs), and electron microscopy of vesicles after polySia addition.

Main Results:

  • Polysialic acid associated with phosphatidylcholine bilayers and incorporated into phospholipid monolayers.
  • PolySia modulated cis interactions between phosphatidylcholine molecules.
  • PolySia facilitated trans interactions between apposing phospholipid vesicles.

Conclusions:

  • Polysialic acid directly interacts with and modifies phospholipid bilayers.
  • These findings suggest that polySia regulates membrane interactions similarly, whether cell-surface bound to NCAM or associated with lipids.