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Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging and Force Spectroscopy of Supported Lipid Bilayers
Published on: July 22, 2015
Phosphatidylcholine bilayers: subtransitions in pure and in mixed lipids
Abstract:
Aqueous dispersions of C14, C16, C17 and C18 phosphatidylcholines (PC, where Cn denotes di-acyl of n carbons per chain), and mixtures of C14/C16PC and C16/C17PC were prepared and their thermal properties studied by differential scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.) after sample storage at 2-6 degrees C for up to 22 days. C16PC and C18PC display subtransitions at 22 degrees C and 29 degrees C, respectively, as previously reported by Chen et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77 (1980) 5060-5063). C17PC shows two subtransitions at 21 degrees C and 26 degrees C, respectively, which are independent of each other. Although C16PC and C17PC individually develop subtransitions, an equimolar mixture does not. However, mixtures of C14/C16PC containing 10 or more mol% of C14PC do display a subtransition. These results underscore the primary dependence of subtransition formation in phosphatidylcholine dispersions on acyl chain structure.
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