Nanostructure and Dynamic Organization of Lipid Membranes英文电子书.pdfVIP

Nanostructure and Dynamic Organization of Lipid Membranes N J. Gaudioso D. Y. Sasaki Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. INTRODUCTION of carbon atoms (14–18 atoms long) and with various degrees of unsaturation.[1] In biological membranes, the Cell membranes define the size and shape of the cell. In key components are phospholipids, which have a phos- addition to this structural role, the membrane has a crucial phate at the head group position that is connected to the regulatory role determining what information, nutrients, hydrophobic tails through a glycerol backbone. Often, and waste can permeate this barrier. The cell membrane another moiety, such as choline, serine, or inositol, is consists of a lipid bilayer and proteins, which can be ei- attached to the phosphate to form PC, PS, or PI-type ther transmembrane or associated with one leaflet of the lipids, respectively.[2] bilayer. The dynamic organization of proteins and lipids In an aqueous solution, these amphiphilic lipids self- into domains (e.g., rafts) within the bilayer is important assemble into liposomes (Fig. 1B).[2] The spherical for multiple cellular processes, such as recognition and bilayer structure minimizes unfavorable interactions of signaling events. the hydrophobic tail region with the water. The head The chemical recognition process occurring on the group a