ESR METHOD FOR DETERMINING TIE-LINES IN COEXISTING MEMBRANE PHASES

这个子项目是许多研究子项目中利用 资源由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。子项目和 调查员(PI)可能从NIH的另一个来源获得了主要资金， 并因此可以在其他清晰的条目中表示。列出的机构是 该中心不一定是调查人员的机构。 当不同组成的结构域共存时，脂双层组分的非随机混合是相关的。特别是，所谓的脂筏似乎在细胞膜的信号传递、蛋白质运输、内吞和黏附等功能中发挥着重要作用。在细胞膜中形成RAFT的一个方面是，是否存在脂类横向分离成共存的液体相，即液体有序(LO)和液体无序(La)相。检测囊泡中共存的脂类双层相的方法有很多。然而，共存相的组成一直非常难以确定。共存相的完整描述包括它们各自的组成，这些组成由热力学关系线提供。荧光显微镜能够显示巨大的单层相中共存的脂相，但缺乏组成信息。 ESR能够提供这样的信息。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Non-random mixing of lipid bilayer components is relevant when domains of different composition coexist. In particular, so-called lipid rafts seem to play important roles in functions of cell membranes such as signaling, protein transport, endocytosis and adhesion. One aspect of raft formation in cell membranes is whether there is actual lateral separation of lipids into coexisting liquid phases, i.e., liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (La) phases. Detection of coexisting lipid bilayer phases in vesicles has been accomplished by a variety of methods. However, the compositions of the coexisting phases have been exceedingly difficult to determine. A full description of coexisting phases includes their respective compositions, which are provided by the thermodynamic tie-lines. Fluorescence microscopy enables visualization of coexisting lipid phases in giant unilamellar phases, but the composition information is missing. ESR is capable of supplying such information.