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. 1980 Jun;77(6):3115–3119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.77.6.3115

Interphases of chain molecules: Monolayers and lipid bilayer membranes

Ken A Dill 1, Paul J Flory 1
PMCID: PMC349563  PMID: 16592834

Abstract

Using the lattice model for a liquid, we treat the packing of short-chain molecules in interphases such as bilayer membranes. The constant density in the interphase imposes intermolecular constraints on the configurations of the flexible chains. The statistical theory here presented predicts a diffuse distribution of chain ends near the bilayer midplane; no adjustable parameters are required. Inasmuch as some of the chains terminate relatively near the polar interface, the number of chains reaching deeper planar layers is diminished. Consequently, configurational freedom increases with depth. This is the source of the well-known disorder gradient.

Keywords: disorder gradient, lattice theory, statistical mechanics

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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