title: Relaxation kinetics of lipid membranes and its relation to the heat capacity.
abstract: We investigated the relaxation behavior of lipid membranes close to the chain-melting transition using pressure jump calorimetry with a temperature accuracy of approximately 10(-3) K. We found relaxation times in the range from seconds up to about a minute, depending on vesicular state. The relaxation times are within error proportional to the heat capacity. We provide a statistical thermodynamics theory that rationalizes the close relation between heat capacity and relaxation times. It is based on our recent finding that enthalpy and volume changes close to the melting transition are proportional functions.
authors.affiliation: Membrane Thermodynamics Group, Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grabitz
authors.forename: Vesselka P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Ivanova
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heimburg
mesh_terms: D015060:1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine / Q000737:chemistry; D002151:Calorimetry; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry; D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine / Q000737:chemistry; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007700:Kinetics; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D008081:Liposomes; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D015060:1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine; D002784:Cholesterol; D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine