Lipid-lipid recognition in fluid bilayers: solving the cholesterol mystery.

Steven L Regen

Journal: Current opinion in chemical biology 2003;6(6):729-35

PMID: 12470724

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Nearest-neighbour recognition measurements take 'molecular-level snapshots' of lipid organization in fluid bilayers by detecting and quantifying the thermodynamic tendency of two lipids to become nearest-neighbours. Recent nearest-neighbour recognition experiments have clarified the structural role that cholesterol plays in biological membranes. They have also clarified the influence that the linkage region of sphingolipids, the sugar head group of glycolipids, and lipid-peptide interactions have on lipid-lipid recognition.

Address: Department of Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015, USA. [email protected]

DOI: 10.1016/s1367-5931(02)00398-8