ISSN:
1432-1017
Keywords:
Phospholipid bilayers
;
ultrasonics and calorimetry
;
cluster size
;
effect of cholesterol
;
enhanced fluctuations
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Physics
Notes:
Abstract Ultrasonic and calorimetric studies of small homogenously-sized DMPC unilamellar vesicles showed two thermal transitions at temperatures T c1 and T c2 (T c2 ≥T c1 ); T c2 is close to the phase transition temperature, T c , of large vesicles. The process at T c2 is not a fusion of vesicles and is interpreted as characterizing an order-disorder transition essentially similar to that of large vesicles. The temperatures T c1 and T c2 become increasingly similar as the cholesterol content is increased, while the clusters at T c2 (≅85 lipid molecules in pure DMPC) increase in size up to approximately 180 lipid molecules at 12 mol% cholesterol. Incorporation of cholesterol thus brings about enhanced fluctuations in this model system of a membrane.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00284724
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