title: A 3-D hexagonal inverse micellar lyotropic phase.
abstract: Lipids that are found in cell membranes form a variety of self-assembled phases in the presence of water. Many of these structures are liquid-crystalline with structural motifs mirrored in cells and organelles and can be exploited in the delivery of drugs and genes. We report the discovery of a lyotropic liquid crystalline phase based on a 3-D hexagonal close-packed arrangement of inverse micelles, of space group P6(3)/mmc. This is the first new inverse lyotropic liquid-crystalline phase to be reported for two decades and is the only known lyotropic phase whose structure consists of a close packing of identical inverse micelles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology Centre, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Gemma C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Shearman
authors.forename: Arwen I I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Tyler
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Templer
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ces
authors.forename: Robert V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Seddon
mesh_terms: D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry*; D004075:Diglycerides / Q000737:chemistry*; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008823:Micelles; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000737:chemistry*; D053838:Scattering, Small Angle; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D004075:Diglycerides; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D008823:Micelles; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D002784:Cholesterol; C017251:1,2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine; C013965:diolein