[Surface properties of phospholipids of the retinal rod membrane]

In rod outer segments, most lipids are phospholipids. Among the fatty acid chains of these phospholipids, half are polyunsaturated. Despite their tendency to get oxidized, we have succeeded to purify those phospholipids by a preparative method and to measure their individual area-pressure isotherms at argon-water interface. The analysis of those isotherms reveals that membranes formed from these phospholipids must be highly fluid and should molecular movements in the membrane.