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. 1999 Nov;77(5):2638–2642. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(99)77097-9

Free brownian motion of individual lipid molecules in biomembranes

A Sonnleitner 1, GJ Schutz 1, T Schmidt 1
PMCID: PMC1300537  PMID: 10545363

Abstract

The mobility of phospolipids in free-standing and supported membranes was investigated on the level of individual molecules. For the analysis of trajectories a new statistical treatment was developed that permitted us to clearly distinguish different types of diffusional motion. A freely diffusing subfraction of lipids within supported membranes was identified. Its mobility was characterized by a mean lateral diffusion constant of D(supp) = 4.6 &mgr;m(2)/s. In comparison, the mobility of lipids embedded in "free-standing" planar membranes yielded an increase in the mean diffusion constant by a factor of 4.5, D(free) = 20.6 &mgr;m(2)/s. This increase is attributed to the ultrathin (</=1 nm) lubricating water layer between membranes and glass support.

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Selected References

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