Influence of Saponins on Lipid Bilayers

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Saponins have a multitude of different effects in living systems. In most cases these effects can be related to the interaction of saponins with the cell membranes. For this reason saponins are studied intensely since many decades. However, despite the pharmacological importance and despite of the numerous studies on saponins information about the local interaction between lipids, cholestrol and saponins is scarce. The present project we will study model membranes (vesicle) made of different lipids and saponins in presence of different amounts of cholesterol by means of neutron spin-echo spectroscopy. The quasielastic experiments will be complemented by small angle and wide angle scattering aiming at establishing relations between local structure and bending elasticity of the bilayers. In addition photon correlation spectroscopy and flickering spectroscopy will be used to scrutinize the membrane motion on larger length and time scales. We are aiming at establishing a relationschip between saponin induced changes in membrane properties to the known biological effects of saponins.