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Updated: Jul 25, 2026
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Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging and Force Spectroscopy of Supported Lipid Bilayers
Published on: July 22, 2015
14.8K
Nanoscale visualization of phase separation in binary supported lipid monolayer using tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Yashashwa Pandey1, Andrea Ingold1, Naresh Kumar1
1Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 3, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland. naresh.kumar@org.chem.ethz.ch.
Nanoscale
|May 20, 2024
Summary
Scanning tunneling microscopy-based tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) effectively maps nanoscale phase separation in binary lipid monolayers. This advanced technique reveals domain segregation and interfacial regions, offering label-free chemical characterization.
Area of Science:
- Nanoscale science
- Surface chemistry
- Biophysics
Background:
- Supported lipid membranes are crucial models for nanoscale phase separation.
- Conventional nanoanalytical tools struggle with non-destructive, label-free chemical characterization of these domains.
Purpose of the Study:
- To apply scanning tunneling microscopy-based tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) for nanoscale phase separation analysis in supported d62-DPPC:DOPC lipid monolayers.
- To demonstrate TERS's capability for label-free, non-destructive chemical characterization of lipid domains.
Main Methods:
- Hyperspectral TERS imaging of d62-DPPC:DOPC lipid monolayers.
- High-resolution TERS imaging to analyze domain boundaries and composition.
Main Results:
- TERS imaging successfully identified distinct d62-DPPC-rich and DOPC-rich domains.
- Observed nanoscale deposits of one lipid species within domains of the other.
- Revealed a 40-120 nm interfacial region, indicating a smooth transition between domains.
Conclusions:
- TERS is a powerful, label-free technique for nanoscale chemical characterization of binary lipid monolayers.
- The study provides novel insights into the phase separation behavior and domain morphology in supported lipid systems.
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