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. 1998 Feb;74(2 Pt 1):944–952. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(98)74017-2

Comparative study of the effects of several n-alkanes on phospholipid hexagonal phases.

Z Chen 1, R P Rand 1
PMCID: PMC1302573  PMID: 9533705

Abstract

The effects of a series of normal alkanes (decane, dodecane, tetradecane, hexadecane, and octadecane) on the hexagonal H(II) structures containing dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) and dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) were studied using x-ray diffraction and osmotic stress. The alkanes affect structural dimensions and the monolayer intrinsic curvature and bending modulus. The alkane effects are chain-length dependent and are attributed to their different distribution within the H(II) structure. The data suggest that short-chain alkanes are more uniformly distributed within the H(II) hydrocarbon regions and change the curvature and bending modulus of the monolayer, whereas longer-chain alkanes appear confined more to the interstitial region and do not change the curvature and bending modulus.

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Selected References

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