An Overview of Lutein in the Lipid Membrane. Int J Mol Sci 2023 Aug 18;24(16)
Date
08/26/2023Pubmed ID
37629129Pubmed Central ID
PMC10454802DOI
10.3390/ijms241612948Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85168729479 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 1 CitationAbstract
Lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin (a steroisomer of zeaxanthin) are macular pigments. They modify the physical properties of the lipid bilayers in a manner similar to cholesterol. It is not clear if these pigments are directly present in the lipid phase of the membranes, or if they form complexes with specific membrane proteins that retain them in high amounts in the correct place in the retina. The high content of macular pigments in the Henle fiber layer indicates that a portion of the lutein and zeaxanthin should not only be bound to the specific proteins but also directly dissolved in the lipid membranes. This high concentration in the prereceptoral region of the retina is effective for blue-light filtration. Understanding the basic mechanisms of these actions is necessary to better understand the carotenoid-membrane interaction and how carotenoids affect membrane physical properties-such as fluidity, polarity, and order-in relation to membrane structure and membrane dynamics. This review focuses on the properties of lutein.
Author List
Widomska J, Subczynski WK, Welc-Stanowska R, Luchowski RAuthor
Witold K. Subczynski PhD Professor in the Biophysics department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
CarotenoidsLipid Bilayers
Lutein
Membranes
Zeaxanthins
