title: Disposition of ceramide in model lipid membranes determined by neutron diffraction.
abstract: The lipid matrix present in the uppermost layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, plays a crucial role in the skin barrier function. The lipids are organized into two lamellar phases. To gain more insight into the molecular organization of one of these lamellar phases, we performed neutron diffraction studies. In the diffraction pattern, five diffraction orders were observed attributed to a lamellar phase with a repeat distance of 5.4 nm. Using contrast variation, the scattering length density profile could be calculated showing a typical bilayer arrangement. To obtain information on the arrangement of ceramides in the unit cell, a mixture that included a partly deuterated ceramide was also examined. The scattering length density profile of the 5.4-nm phase containing this deuterated ceramide demonstrated a symmetric arrangement of the ceramides with interdigitating acyl chains in the center of the unit cell.
authors.affiliation: Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research, Department of Drug Delivery Technology, Gorlaeus Laboratories, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Groen
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Gooris
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Barlow
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: van Mechelen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Demé
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bouwstra
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D002470:Cell Survival; D002518:Ceramides / Q000737:chemistry*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry; D000078404:Epidermal Cells; D006801:Humans; D033363:Neutron Diffraction; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002518:Ceramides; D014867:Water; D002784:Cholesterol