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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...
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The fluid mosaic model was first proposed as a visual representation of research observations. The model comprises the composition and dynamics of membranes and serves as a foundation for future membrane-related studies. The model depicts the structure of the plasma membrane with a variety of components, which include phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. These integral molecules are loosely bound, defining the cell’s border and providing fluidity for optimal function.
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Different physical properties of lipids and proteins allow them to localize and form distinct islands or domains in the membrane. Some membrane domains are formed due to protein-protein interactions, whereas others are formed due to the presence of specific lipids such as sphingolipids and sterols—for example, large proteins, such as bacteriorhodopsin, aggregate and create distinct domains.
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Preparation, Purification, and Use of Fatty Acid-containing Liposomes
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Mixed fatty acid-phospholipid protocell networks.

Inga Põldsalu1, Elif Senem Köksal1, Irep Gözen1,2

  • 1Centre for Molecular Medicine Norway, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0318 Oslo, Norway. irep@uio.no.

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP
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Primitive cell membranes formed from fatty acids and phospholipids on surfaces create interconnected compartments. These model protocells show enhanced permeability and colony-like growth, suggesting a plausible origin for early life.

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Area of Science:

  • Origin of life studies
  • Biophysics
  • Astrobiology

Background:

  • Self-assembled membranes of fatty acids and phospholipids offer permeability and stability, crucial for early cell development.
  • Solid surfaces can enhance the formation of model protocells, aiding in the study of primitive cell origins.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the solid surface-assisted formation of primitive mixed-surfactant membrane compartments (model protocells).
  • To analyze the structural and functional properties of these compartments, particularly their permeability and growth dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Formation of model protocells from multilamellar lipid reservoirs with varying fatty acid and phospholipid ratios.
  • Observation of spontaneous self-transformation into interconnected compartments via nanotube networks on solid substrates.
  • Measurement of permeability coefficients for fluorescein and RNA through the generated compartments.

Main Results:

  • Achieved spontaneous formation of interconnected, closed surfactant containers from mixed amphiphiles on solid surfaces.
  • Observed colony-like growth in some fatty acid-containing compartments.
  • Demonstrated increased permeability coefficients for fluorescein (up to 7 × 10-6 cm s-1) and RNA (up to 3.5 × 10-6 cm s-1) in compartments derived from fatty acid-containing membranes.

Conclusions:

  • Surface-assisted formation of protocells from mixed amphiphiles is a viable mechanism for early cell emergence.
  • Mixed surfactant membranes exhibit enhanced permeability, supporting the development of primitive cellular functions.
  • The observed self-organization and growth dynamics provide insights into plausible pathways for the origin of life.