title: Oxyethylene chain-cation complexation: nonionic polyoxyethylene detergents attain a positive charge and demonstrate electrostatic head group interactions.
abstract: We report literature data indicating that the polyoxyethylene chain of polyoxyethylene detergents attracts cations via dipole-ion interactions thereby attaining a positive charge character. This implies that nonionic polyoxyethylene detergents like Triton X-100 and C12E8 may interact electrostatically with phospholipid head groups. We describe how a positive charge character of Triton X-100 and C12E8 can explain their hitherto mysterious stomatocytogenic shape altering effect in human erythrocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Abo Akademi University, Abo/Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hägerstrand
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bobacka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bobrowska-Hägerstrand
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kralj-Iglic
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fosnaric
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iglic
mesh_terms: D002412:Cations / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D048429:Cell Size; D003902:Detergents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017830:Octoxynol / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D055672:Static Electricity; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D003902:Detergents; D010743:Phospholipids; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D017830:Octoxynol