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Related Concept Videos

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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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...
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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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Surface Active Agents

Surfactants, named for their behavior at interfaces, positively adsorb at the interfaces of two phases, reducing interfacial tension. Their versatility as emulsifiers, detergents, and foaming agents stems from this ability. Surfactants, often termed amphiphiles, share the property of amphipathy, with molecules having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions. The hydrophilic part is called the head, and the hydrophobic part, including an elongated alkyl substituent, forms the tail.Surfactants...

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Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Fluorescence Recovery after Merging a Droplet to Measure the Two-dimensional Diffusion of a Phospholipid Monolayer
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Fluorescence Recovery after Merging a Droplet to Measure the Two-dimensional Diffusion of a Phospholipid Monolayer

Published on: October 15, 2015

Compressibility study of quaternary phospholipid blend monolayers.

Leide P Cavalcanti1, Ingunn Tho, Oleg Konovalov

  • 1University of Tromsø, Dept of Pharmacy, Tromsø, Norway. leide.cavalcanti@gmail.com

Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces
|March 15, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Liposome membrane mechanical properties, crucial for drug delivery, depend on lipid composition. Cholesterol and lipid ratios significantly impact compressibility, with varying importance for different lipid types like DSPE and DOPE.

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Materials Science
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background:

  • Liposome membranes' mechanical properties are vital for drug targeting and release.
  • Lipid composition, including helper lipids, significantly influences these properties.
  • Understanding these properties is key to optimizing liposome drug carriers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of cholesterol and lipid ratios on liposome monolayer compressibility.
  • To determine the influence of distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE) and dioleoyl phophatidylethanolamine (DOPE) as helper lipids.
  • To analyze the multivariate effects of cholesterol fraction and lipid ratios on mechanical properties.

Main Methods:

  • Brewster's angle microscopy was employed to monitor lipid monolayer compression.
  • Langmuir trough technique was used for monolayer preparation and manipulation.
  • Multivariate analysis assessed the significance of cholesterol fraction and lipid ratios (ρ).

Main Results:

  • Cholesterol fraction was the most significant variable for DSPE-containing blends.
  • Lipid ratio (ρ) was the most significant variable for DOPE-containing blends.
  • A positive interaction between cholesterol and lipid ratio was observed, allowing varied compositions for similar compressibility.

Conclusions:

  • The mechanical properties of liposomes are tunable by adjusting cholesterol and lipid ratios.
  • The significance of these variables differs between DSPE and DOPE helper lipids.
  • This research provides insights for designing liposomes with specific mechanical characteristics for drug delivery applications.