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Related Concept Videos

Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

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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.
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Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

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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...
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Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation01:29

Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation

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Although not a source of energy, cholesterol plays a significant role as a foundational structure for bile salts, steroid hormones, and vitamin D, as well as being a crucial component of plasma membranes. Approximately 15% of blood cholesterol is derived from our diet, with the remainder synthesized from acetyl CoA by the liver and intestines. Cholesterol is eliminated from the body through its conversion into bile salts, which are eventually discarded in the feces.
Considering cholesterol and...
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Assembly of the Lipid Bilayer in the ER01:28

Assembly of the Lipid Bilayer in the ER

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Biological membranes are more than just a barrier separating cell cytoplasm from the outside environment. They are highly dynamic and help maintain the integrity and physiological stability of the cells as well as membrane-bound organelles. Membranes also play vital roles in cell-to-cell and intracellular communication.
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Mechanisms of Membrane-bending01:15

Mechanisms of Membrane-bending

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The living membranes are flexible due to their fluid mosaic nature; however, their bending into different shapes is an active process regulated by specific lipids and proteins. The membrane bending can be transient as seen in vesicles or stable for a long time as in microvilli. Cells regulate the size, location, and duration of the membrane curvature.
Membrane bending can happen due to intrinsic changes in lipid composition or extrinsic association with different proteins. The proteins involved...
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Synthesis of Phosphatidylcholine in the ER Membrane01:27

Synthesis of Phosphatidylcholine in the ER Membrane

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The ER synthesizes lipids for building cell membranes and performing cellular functions such as energy storage and signaling. The lipid synthesis machinery embedded in the ER membrane primarily collects all reactants from the cytosol. Following synthesis, the secretory pathway and the ER contact sites distribute these lipids to other cellular organelles. Additionally, the energy-rich triacylglycerides are transported from the ER via lipid droplets.
The major components of all eukaryotic cell...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 10, 2025

Atomic Force Microscopy Cantilever-Based Nanoindentation: Mechanical Property Measurements at the Nanoscale in Air and Fluid
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25-Hydroxycholesterol Effect on Membrane Structure and Mechanical Properties.

Marco M Domingues1, Bárbara Gomes1, Axel Hollmann2

  • 1Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisbon, Portugal.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|April 3, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

25-hydroxycholesterol, an oxysterol regulating cholesterol homeostasis, reduces plasma membrane rigidity by inhibiting cholesterol

Keywords:
25-hydroxycholesterolatomic force microscopycholesterolforce spectroscopysupported lipid bilayers

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Area of Science:

  • Membrane biophysics
  • Lipidomics
  • Cellular physiology

Background:

  • Cholesterol is crucial for plasma membrane plasticity and cellular functions.
  • Oxysterols, like 25-hydroxycholesterol, regulate cholesterol homeostasis.
  • 25-hydroxycholesterol impacts viral entry into cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of 25-hydroxycholesterol on supported lipid bilayers.
  • To determine how 25-hydroxycholesterol influences membrane properties and lipid packing.

Main Methods:

  • Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed.
  • Supported lipid bilayers with controlled lipid compositions were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • 25-hydroxycholesterol was found to inhibit the lipid-condensing effect of cholesterol.
  • This inhibition resulted in decreased membrane rigidity and increased lipid packing inhomogeneities.
  • Morphological alterations in sphingomyelin (SM)-enriched domains were observed.

Conclusions:

  • 25-hydroxycholesterol inclusion or conversion in plasma membranes alters domain morphology and lipid packing.
  • These alterations lead to significant changes in membrane stiffness.
  • Findings provide insights into the role of oxysterols in membrane biophysical properties.