Phospholipid bilayers are viscoelastic.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
; 107(45): 19146-50, 2010 Nov 09.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-20974934
Lipid bilayers provide the structural framework for cellular membranes, and their character as two-dimensional fluids enables the mobility of membrane macromolecules. Though the existence of membrane fluidity is well established, the nature of this fluidity remains poorly characterized. Three-dimensional fluids as diverse as chocolates and cytoskeletal networks show a rich variety of Newtonian and non-Newtonian dynamics that have been illuminated by contemporary rheological techniques. Applying particle-tracking microrheology to freestanding phospholipid bilayers, we find that the membranes are not simply viscous but rather exhibit viscoelasticity, with an elastic modulus that dominates the response above a characteristic frequency that diverges at the fluid-gel (L(α) - L(ß)) phase-transition temperature. These findings fundamentally alter our picture of the nature of lipid bilayers and the mechanics of membrane environments.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Bicamadas Lipídicas
/
Fluidez de Membrana
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2010
Tipo de documento:
Article