Studying lipid organization in biological membranes using liposomes and EPR spin labeling. Methods Mol Biol 2010;606:247-69
Date
12/17/2009Pubmed ID
20013402Pubmed Central ID
PMC4640678DOI
10.1007/978-1-60761-447-0_18Scopus ID
2-s2.0-77649228493 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 46 CitationsAbstract
Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin-labeling methods provide a unique opportunity to determine the lateral organization of lipid bilayer membranes by discrimination of coexisting membrane domains or coexisting membrane phases. In some cases, coexisting membrane domains can be characterized without the need for their physical separation by profiles of alkyl chain order, fluidity, hydrophobicity, and oxygen diffusion-concentration product in situ. This chapter briefly explains how EPR spin-labeling methods can be used to obtain the above-mentioned profiles across lipid bilayer membranes (liposomes). These procedures will be illustrated by EPR measurements performed on multilamellar liposomes made of lipid extracts from cortical and nuclear fractions of the fiber cell plasma membrane of a cow-eye lens. To better elucidate the major factors that determine membrane properties, results for eye lens lipid membranes and simple model membranes that resemble the basic lipid composition of biological membranes will be compared.
Author List
Subczynski WK, Raguz M, Widomska JAuthor
Witold K. Subczynski PhD Professor in the Biophysics department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AnimalsCattle
Cell Membrane
Cell Membrane Permeability
Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy
Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
Lens, Crystalline
Liposomes
Membrane Fluidity
Membrane Lipids
Membrane Microdomains
Oxygen