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 Lipids?01:38

What are Lipids?

217.4K
Overview
217.4K
What are Lipids?01:31

What are Lipids?

10.4K
Lipids function as structural components of cellular membranes, in addition to acting as energy reservoirs and signaling molecules. They are thus crucial to all living organisms.  The three biologically important classes of lipids are triglycerides, phospholipids, and steroids.
Non-Polar and Hydrophobic Characteristics of Lipids
Lipids are a structurally and functionally diverse group of hydrocarbons—compounds consisting of carbon and hydrogen atoms. The carbon-carbon and...
10.4K
Lipids as Anchors01:32

Lipids as Anchors

6.9K
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...
6.9K
Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer01:35

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

9.3K
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%...
9.3K
Structure of Lipids03:38

Structure of Lipids

96.9K
Lipids include a diverse group of compounds that are largely nonpolar in nature. This is because they are hydrocarbons that include mostly nonpolar carbon-carbon or carbon-hydrogen bonds. Non-polar molecules are hydrophobic (“water fearing”), or insoluble in water. Lipids perform many different functions in a cell. Cells store energy for long-term use in the form of fats. Lipids also provide insulation from the environment for plants and animals. For example, they help keep aquatic...
96.9K
Structure of Lipids03:38

Structure of Lipids

13.5K
13.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Concise Synthesis of (±)-Stephadiamine via Vinylogous Wenker Cyclization.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Protecting Groups as Dispersive Directing Groups: Toward the Asymmetric Synthesis of Altemicidin.

Organic letters·2026
Same author

Dual activation of MC3R and MC4R drives weight loss and reduces food intake in male primates with obesity.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

An Agonist/Antagonist Photo-Switchable Vitamin D Mimetic Enables Bidirectional Optical Control of VDR.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Selective Editing and Functionalization of the Mammalian Lipidome.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Targeting the Protein-Membrane Interface Enables Design of Long-Acting CFTR Potentiators.

ACS chemical biology·2026
Same journal

Sustainable Synthesis of Bio-Based Furanic and Aromatic Amines Using an Optimized Whole-Cell Transaminase-Decarboxylase Cascade in E. coli RARE.

Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology·2026
Same journal

Composite Dissolvable Microneedle-Enabled Local High-Dose Delivery of Endogenous Thiols for Efficient Allergic Dermatitis Treatment.

Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology·2026
Same journal

Revisiting the Radical Quenching Activity of Ebselen Analogues in Homogeneous Phase and In Silico Anti-ferroptotic Activity with Histone Deacetylase.

Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology·2026
Same journal

Reaction Optimization for Enzymatic Deconstruction of Industrially Relevant Nylon Composites.

Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology·2026
Same journal

Deploying Artificial Metalloenzymes in Complex Environments: Strategies and Applications.

Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology·2026
Same journal

Synthetic Ligands of Myeloid C-Type Lectin Receptors.

Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 12, 2025

SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy
10:58

SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy

Published on: August 24, 2016

11.2K

Photoswitchable Lipids.

Johannes Morstein1, Anna C Impastato1, Dirk Trauner1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, New York, NY, 10003-6699, USA.

Chembiochem : a European Journal of Chemical Biology
|August 14, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Photoswitchable lipids offer precise optical control over membrane biophysics and lipid signaling pathways. These advanced tools enable light-dependent modulation of lipid receptors and metabolic enzymes for novel research applications.

Keywords:
amphiphilesazobenzenelipidsphotopharmacologyphotoswitches

More Related Videos

Giant Liposome Preparation for Imaging and Patch-Clamp Electrophysiology
09:03

Giant Liposome Preparation for Imaging and Patch-Clamp Electrophysiology

Published on: June 21, 2013

22.7K
Measuring Membrane Lipid Turnover with the pH-sensitive Fluorescent Lipid Analog ND6
08:31

Measuring Membrane Lipid Turnover with the pH-sensitive Fluorescent Lipid Analog ND6

Published on: July 29, 2021

1.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 12, 2025

SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy
10:58

SNARE-mediated Fusion of Single Proteoliposomes with Tethered Supported Bilayers in a Microfluidic Flow Cell Monitored by Polarized TIRF Microscopy

Published on: August 24, 2016

11.2K
Giant Liposome Preparation for Imaging and Patch-Clamp Electrophysiology
09:03

Giant Liposome Preparation for Imaging and Patch-Clamp Electrophysiology

Published on: June 21, 2013

22.7K
Measuring Membrane Lipid Turnover with the pH-sensitive Fluorescent Lipid Analog ND6
08:31

Measuring Membrane Lipid Turnover with the pH-sensitive Fluorescent Lipid Analog ND6

Published on: July 29, 2021

1.8K

Area of Science:

  • Membrane biophysics
  • Lipid signaling
  • Chemical biology

Background:

  • Photoswitchable lipids are novel molecular tools for studying lipid function.
  • They influence membrane properties like permeability, fluidity, and domain formation.
  • These lipids allow optical control over various lipid receptors and membrane-associated enzymes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the capabilities and applications of photoswitchable lipids.
  • To position photoswitchable lipids within the broader field of functionalized lipids in chemical biology.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of existing literature on photoswitchable lipids.
  • Comparison with other functionalized lipids (e.g., isotope-labeled, fluorescent, photocaged).

Main Results:

  • Photoswitchable lipids modulate membrane biophysics and lipid physiology.
  • They enable light-dependent control of lipid receptors and enzymes.
  • They complement other lipid tools in chemical biology research.

Conclusions:

  • Photoswitchable lipids are versatile tools for precise manipulation and study of lipid function.
  • Their applications span membrane biophysics, lipid physiology, and drug discovery.
  • They represent a significant advancement in lipid chemical biology.