Phospholipid phase transitions in model and biological membranes as studied by infrared spectroscopy.
Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is an extremely powerful yet non-perturbing physical technique for monitoring the conformation and dynamics of all portions of the phospholipid molecule. In this brief review we summarize some recent FT-IR spectroscopic studies of phospholipid phase transitions in model lipid bilayer and in biological membranes which illustrate the great utility of this technique. We show that FT-IR spectroscopy can accurately monitor the gel to liquid-crystalline phase transition and can provide a large amount of detailed information about phospholipid structure and organization in both the gel and liquid-crystalline states of lipid bilayers.
Mantsch
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HH
Institute of Molecular Science, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
McElhaney
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RN
D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared
D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D010743:Phospholipids