Measurements of the elasticity of monolayers consisting of lipids from nerve membranes.
For measurement of viscoelastic properties of monolayer-covered interfaces a longitudinal wave is generated in the plane of the interface, using a horizontal oscillating barrier. The wave propagation depends on the values of the viscoelastic parameters of the monolayer. The technique is applied here to study the surface elasticity of layers consisting of lipids extracted from nerve membranes. It is concluded that mechanical disturbances are propagated as longitudinal waves. The possibility that longitudinal waves occur in nerve membranes and the role they might play in the transmission of information in biological membranes is discussed.
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle; D004548:Elasticity; D008433:Mathematics; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000502:physiology*; D008959:Models, Neurological; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D014783:Viscosity
D008563:Membrane Lipids