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Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy as a Unique Probe for Lipid Membrane Dynamics and Membrane-Protein Interactions
Published on: May 27, 2021
Dynamics of natural biological membranes: an NMR history
Erick J Dufourc1,2, Estelle Morvan1
1Institut Européen de Chimie Et Biologie UAR3033, CNRS, University of Bordeaux, INSERM US01, Pessac, France.
Abstract:
Since the publication of the fluid mosaic model for membranes in 1972, numerous spectroscopic techniques, including solid-state NMR (ssNMR), have been developed to assess membrane fluidity. While model membranes made from synthetic lipids have been widely used, experiments on natural membranes have remained rare. The first demonstration that natural membranes had a micro-fluidity comparable to that of model membranes was published by Ian CP Smith's team in the 1970s. This article reviews the first and most recent ssNMR experiments aimed at studying the dynamics of natural membranes, as measured by order parameters, and their comparison with models.
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