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

Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

157.8K
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.
157.8K
Biosynthesis of Lipids01:29

Biosynthesis of Lipids

111
Microbial membranes exhibit remarkable diversity in lipid composition, reflecting evolutionary adaptations to various environmental conditions. The three domains of life—Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya—synthesize membrane lipids through distinct biosynthetic pathways, leading to fundamental structural differences that impact membrane stability, function, and adaptability.Fatty Acid-Based Lipids in Bacteria and EukaryaBacteria and eukaryotes share a common fatty acid biosynthesis...
111
Mechanisms of Membrane-bending01:15

Mechanisms of Membrane-bending

2.9K
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...
2.9K
Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer01:35

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

7.9K
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%...
7.9K
Lipids as Anchors01:32

Lipids as Anchors

5.9K
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...
5.9K
What are Lipids?01:38

What are Lipids?

207.9K
Overview
207.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Speciation and hydration forces in sodium carbonate/bicarbonate aqueous solutions nanoconfined between mica sheets.

Faraday discussions·2026
Same author

Fabrication of Janus Supraparticles by Induced Phase Separation by Gravity.

ACS nano·2026
Same author

SAXS study of electric field-induced microstructural evolution in a polyaniline-based conductive hydrogel.

Journal of materials chemistry. B·2026
Same author

Application of Quaternized Chitosan in Enhancing Natural Organic Matter (NOM) Removal from Water by Flocculation.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2026
Same author

Boron-Rich Soft Hydrogels Based on the Coassembly of Cationic A‑B‑A Triblock Copolymers with <i>Closo</i>-Dodecaborate.

Macromolecules·2026
Same author

Positional Correlation Length-Induced Morphological Transformation of Interpolyelectrolyte Complexes (IPECs) Made of Polysaccharides: The Role of Molar Charge Ratio.

Macromolecules·2026
Same journal

Revisiting, Understanding, and Tailoring the Evolution in the Nature of Phase Transitions in Rare-Earth RE<sub>2</sub>In Alloys.

The journal of physical chemistry letters·2026
Same journal

Room-Temperature Quasi-CW Random Lasing in a Tin-Perovskite Ultrathin Film.

The journal of physical chemistry letters·2026
Same journal

Emerging Electride Behavior and Metallization in Molecular Hydrogen under High Pressure.

The journal of physical chemistry letters·2026
Same journal

Surface Electrochemistry of Au(111) in Acetonitrile Based Electrolytes: Formation of a Solvent Related Adsorbed Layer.

The journal of physical chemistry letters·2026
Same journal

Asymmetric Hydration Shell Reveals Interfacial TFSI Organization in Imidazolium Ionic Liquid Films.

The journal of physical chemistry letters·2026
Same journal

Turning 3D Molecular Crystals into 2D Moiré Superlattices with Properties Born Out of Bonding at the Angularly Stacked Interfaces.

The journal of physical chemistry letters·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 20, 2025

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

18.6K

Lipid Membrane Flexibility in Protic Ionic Liquids.

Shurui Miao1, Ingo Hoffmann2, Michael Gradzielski3

  • 1School of Chemistry and University of Sydney Nano Institute, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
|June 7, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The flexibility of lipid membranes, like egg lecithin vesicles, significantly increases in protic ionic liquids (PILs) compared to water. This enhanced membrane fluidity is due to dynamic cation exchange between the membrane and the PIL solvent.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Advancing Cell Membrane Biophysics - Exploring Interactions and Challenges Through Experimental and Computational Approaches
07:31

Author Spotlight: Advancing Cell Membrane Biophysics - Exploring Interactions and Challenges Through Experimental and Computational Approaches

Published on: September 1, 2023

2.5K
Assembly of Cell Mimicking Supported and Suspended Lipid Bilayer Models for the Study of Molecular Interactions
12:18

Assembly of Cell Mimicking Supported and Suspended Lipid Bilayer Models for the Study of Molecular Interactions

Published on: August 3, 2021

3.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 20, 2025

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

18.6K
Author Spotlight: Advancing Cell Membrane Biophysics - Exploring Interactions and Challenges Through Experimental and Computational Approaches
07:31

Author Spotlight: Advancing Cell Membrane Biophysics - Exploring Interactions and Challenges Through Experimental and Computational Approaches

Published on: September 1, 2023

2.5K
Assembly of Cell Mimicking Supported and Suspended Lipid Bilayer Models for the Study of Molecular Interactions
12:18

Assembly of Cell Mimicking Supported and Suspended Lipid Bilayer Models for the Study of Molecular Interactions

Published on: August 3, 2021

3.7K

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Materials Science
  • Physical Chemistry

Background:

  • Lipid membranes exhibit specific mechanical properties like bending modulus and thickness.
  • Solvent composition can influence membrane behavior and flexibility.
  • Ionic liquids (ILs) offer unique solvent properties with potential applications in biological systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of protic ionic liquids (PILs) on the flexibility of egg lecithin vesicles.
  • To determine how solvent composition affects membrane bending modulus and bilayer structure.
  • To elucidate the underlying mechanisms responsible for observed changes in membrane properties.

Main Methods:

  • Neutron spin echo spectrometry (NSE) was used to measure membrane flexibility.
  • Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were employed for structural analysis.
  • Fluorescent probe microscopy provided complementary insights into membrane dynamics.

Main Results:

  • The bending modulus of egg lecithin vesicles was found to be up to an order of magnitude lower in PILs than in water.
  • No significant changes were observed in bilayer thickness or nonpolar chain composition.
  • A correlation was identified between membrane flexibility and the dynamic association/exchange of IL cations.

Conclusions:

  • Protic ionic liquids significantly enhance lipid membrane flexibility without altering bilayer structure.
  • Dynamic cation exchange between the membrane and PIL solvent is proposed as the mechanism for increased flexibility.
  • This finding offers a novel approach to tune and control lipid membrane behavior using ILs.