Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

What are Membranes?01:54

What are Membranes?

210.5K
A key characteristic of life is the ability to separate the external environment from the internal space. To do this, cells have evolved semi-permeable membranes that regulate the passage of biological molecules. Additionally, the cell membrane defines a cell’s shape and interactions with the external environment. Eukaryotic cell membranes also serve to compartmentalize the internal space into organelles, including the endomembrane structures of the nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum and...
210.5K
What are Membranes?01:24

What are Membranes?

20.4K
A cell's plasma membrane demarcates the cell's borders and determines the nature of its interaction with the environment. Cells exclude certain substances, take in others, and excrete some others in controlled quantities. The plasma membrane must be flexible to allow certain cells, such as red and white blood cells, to change their shape while passing through narrow capillaries. These are the more obvious plasma membrane functions. In addition, the plasma membrane's surface carries...
20.4K
Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

17.9K
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...
17.9K
Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

179.3K
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.
179.3K
Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer01:35

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

11.0K
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%...
11.0K
Fluid Mosaic Model01:19

Fluid Mosaic Model

19.8K
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...
19.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Tau protein as a regulator of mitochondrial function and dynamics.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Correction to "Therapeutic Role of Deep Eutectic Solvents Based on Menthol and Saturated Fatty Acids on Wound Healing".

ACS applied bio materials·2026
Same author

Enhancing bioactivity of calcium-phosphate cement-based 3D printed scaffolds with human platelet lysates: in vitro and in vivo validation.

Acta biomaterialia·2025
Same author

Osteogenic Differentiation Triggered by Intracellular Magnetoelectric Stimulation of Core-Shell Nanotransducers under Remotely Applied Magnetic Fields.

ACS nano·2025
Same author

Bioengineered Pancreatic Cancer Immunosuppressive Microenvironment Models for Screening Immunotherapies.

Advanced healthcare materials·2025
Same author

Cryobioprinted human tumor models with shelf-stable programmability.

Trends in biotechnology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Automated Lipid Bilayer Membrane Formation Using a Polydimethylsiloxane Thin Film
08:23

Automated Lipid Bilayer Membrane Formation Using a Polydimethylsiloxane Thin Film

Published on: July 10, 2016

19.2K

Polysaccharide-based freestanding multilayered membranes exhibiting reversible switchable properties.

Joana M Silva1, Sofia G Caridade1, Rui L Reis1

  • 13B's Research Group - Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Avepark - Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, 4805-017 Barco GMR, Portugal. jmano@dep.uminho.pt and ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.

Soft Matter
|December 1, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed novel freestanding membranes using biopolymers like chitosan and alginate. Combining covalent and ionic cross-linking improved mechanical properties and introduced reversible adhesion and shape memory for biomedical applications.

More Related Videos

Layer-by-layer Synthesis and Transfer of Freestanding Conjugated Microporous Polymer Nanomembranes
09:09

Layer-by-layer Synthesis and Transfer of Freestanding Conjugated Microporous Polymer Nanomembranes

Published on: December 15, 2015

9.9K
Preparation of Light-responsive Membranes by a Combined Surface Grafting and Postmodification Process
12:00

Preparation of Light-responsive Membranes by a Combined Surface Grafting and Postmodification Process

Published on: March 21, 2014

12.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Automated Lipid Bilayer Membrane Formation Using a Polydimethylsiloxane Thin Film
08:23

Automated Lipid Bilayer Membrane Formation Using a Polydimethylsiloxane Thin Film

Published on: July 10, 2016

19.2K
Layer-by-layer Synthesis and Transfer of Freestanding Conjugated Microporous Polymer Nanomembranes
09:09

Layer-by-layer Synthesis and Transfer of Freestanding Conjugated Microporous Polymer Nanomembranes

Published on: December 15, 2015

9.9K
Preparation of Light-responsive Membranes by a Combined Surface Grafting and Postmodification Process
12:00

Preparation of Light-responsive Membranes by a Combined Surface Grafting and Postmodification Process

Published on: March 21, 2014

12.3K

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Biopolymer-based self-standing multilayered structures show promise in biomedicine.
  • Gel-like properties of biopolymers limit their application.
  • Need for enhanced mechanical properties and controlled functionality in biopolymer materials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop freestanding multilayered membranes with improved properties using natural cross-linkers.
  • To investigate the combined effects of covalent and ionic cross-linking on biopolymer multilayers.
  • To explore the potential of these membranes in biomedical and biotechnological fields.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a combination of covalent (genipin) and ionic (calcium chloride, CaCl2) cross-linking.
  • Fabricated multilayered chitosan (CHI)-alginate (ALG) films.
  • Investigated the impact of CaCl2 on mechanical strength, adhesion, and shape memory.
  • Assessed the reversibility of properties using a chelate solution.

Main Results:

  • Combined cross-linking significantly enhanced mechanical properties and reduced water uptake.
  • Ionic cross-linking with CaCl2 induced adhesion and shape memory ability.
  • These properties were reversibly switched by immersion in a chelate solution.
  • Developed freestanding membranes exhibited improved mechanical strength and tunable functionality.

Conclusions:

  • The developed polysaccharide freestanding membranes possess tunable mechanical properties and shape memory.
  • The reversible switching of properties is attributed to ionic cross-linking with CaCl2.
  • These findings highlight the potential of these advanced biopolymer membranes for diverse applications in biomedical and biotechnological research.