Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2025
10:08
Phase Behavior of Charged Vesicles Under Symmetric and Asymmetric Solution Conditions Monitored with Fluorescence Microscopy
Published on: October 24, 2017
9.2K
Characterizing the heterogeneity of membrane liquid-ordered domains
1Department of Theoretical Physics, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
The European Physical Journal. E, Soft Matter
|October 17, 2023
Summary
We studied lipid mixtures and found liquid-ordered domains have internal structures. This heterogeneity distinguishes true liquid-ordered phases from fluctuations, aiding lipid phase behavior research.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Computational Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Cell membranes exhibit liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered phases.
- Cholesterol plays a crucial role in modulating lipid phase behavior.
- Understanding lipid domain structure is key to membrane function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the nanoscale structural properties of liquid-ordered domains in lipid mixtures.
- To differentiate between true liquid-ordered domains and thermal fluctuations.
- To explore the role of lipid affinity and cholesterol in phase separation.
Main Methods:
- Lattice model simulation of ternary lipid mixtures (saturated lipids, unsaturated lipids, cholesterol).
- Analysis of structural heterogeneity within liquid-ordered regions.
- Comparison with experimental spectroscopic methods and atomistic simulations.
Main Results:
- Liquid-ordered domains exhibit nanoscale heterogeneity, partitioned into cholesterol-rich and cholesterol-free sub-domains.
- This internal structure distinguishes liquid-ordered domains from thermal density fluctuations.
- The system can display macroscopic phase separation or a matrix of small liquid-ordered domains.
Conclusions:
- Nanoscale heterogeneity is a defining characteristic of the liquid-ordered phase.
- The findings provide a method to experimentally distinguish true lipid domains.
- Cholesterol's influence on lipid domain structure is significant.
More Related Videos
07:31Author Spotlight: Advancing Cell Membrane Biophysics - Exploring Interactions and Challenges Through Experimental and Computational Approaches
Published on: September 1, 2023
2.3K
05:56Spot Variation Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy for Analysis of Molecular Diffusion at the Plasma Membrane of Living Cells
Published on: November 12, 2020
2.8K
Related Concept Videos
01:18Membrane Domains
5.4K
The membrane domains concentrate specific lipids and proteins at one place within the membrane, which helps in cell signaling, adhesion, and other critical cellular processes. These domains can differ in size, composition, function, and lifespan.
Protein Domains
The membrane comprises a group of distinct proteins responsible for carrying out a cell's specific function. For example, the plasma membrane of the human sperm, or a single germ cell, contains a unique set of proteins in the...
Protein Domains
The membrane comprises a group of distinct proteins responsible for carrying out a cell's specific function. For example, the plasma membrane of the human sperm, or a single germ cell, contains a unique set of proteins in the...
5.4K
01:26Membrane Fluidity
11.2K
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...
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...
11.2K
01:19Fluid Mosaic Model
11.9K
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...
11.9K
00:59Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation
3.0K
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.
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with...
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with...
3.0K
01:35Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer
7.3K
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%...
7.3K
01:34The Fluid Mosaic Model
148.5K
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.
148.5K