The aqueous surroundings alter the bending rigidity of lipid membranes

The bending elasticity is the mechanical property that characterizes the deformability of lipid bilayers. In the present study the bending elasticity of phosphatidylcholine lipid membranes is reported in aqueous media with various chemical composition and pH. The bending modulus is obtained from ana...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Russian journal of electrochemistry 2016-12, Vol.52 (12), p.1172-1178
Main Authors: Mitkova, Denitsa, Vitkova, Victoria
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aqueous solutions
Bending modulus
Chemical composition
Chemistry
Chemistry and Materials Science
Elasticity
Electrochemistry
Formability
Lipids
Membranes
Micromanipulation
Phosphatidylcholine
Physical Chemistry
Rigidity
Sodium chloride
Vesicles
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Summary:The bending elasticity is the mechanical property that characterizes the deformability of lipid bilayers. In the present study the bending elasticity of phosphatidylcholine lipid membranes is reported in aqueous media with various chemical composition and pH. The bending modulus is obtained from analysis of the thermal shape fluctuations, performed on nearly spherical giant lipid vesicles. Lower bending rigidity of phosphatidylcholine bilayers is measured in aqueous media, containing potassium or sodium chlorides, compared to its value in water without salts. The results reported here for the membrane bending elasticity at three acidic values of pH are compared with the literature data from micromanipulation measurements of giant unilamellar vesicles from the same lipid. In accordance with previous results, further evidences are provided for the softening of lipid bilayers in the presence of sucrose in the aqueous surroundings.
ISSN:1023-1935
1608-3342
DOI:10.1134/S1023193516120090