FEBS Letters
Volume 584, Issue 9 , Pages 1653-1658, 3 May 2010

Stability of lipid domains

Edited by Wilhelm Just

  • Ana J. García-Sáez
    • ,
  • Petra Schwille

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Address: Biophysics Group, BIOTEC, TU Dresden, Tatzberg 47-51, 01307 Dresden, Germany. Fax: +49 351 463 40342.

Biophysics Group, BIOTEC, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany

Received 2 November 2009; accepted 18 December 2009. published online 25 December 2009.

Abstract 

Membranes with simple lipid composition exhibit complex phase behavior. Ordered and disordered liquid phases can coexist in cholesterol-containing membranes with lipid compositions resembling biological membranes and at physiological temperatures. Research during the last years suggests that these lipid domains play a role in the organization of biological membranes. Understanding the principles that govern the formation and stability of lipid domains is of great importance to build a model that properly describes membrane structure and function. In this review, we describe the current knowledge of the chemical and physical basis of lipid domains and its application to biological membranes.

Keywords: Lipid–lipid interaction, Cholesterol, Sphingolipid, Liquid ordered phase, Line tension

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PII: S0014-5793(09)01082-5

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2009.12.036

FEBS Letters
Volume 584, Issue 9 , Pages 1653-1658, 3 May 2010

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