• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.67 no.2
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• pp.89-98
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• 2023

The cell membrane, also known as the biological membrane, surrounds every living cell. The main components of cell membranes are lipids and therefore called as lipid membranes. These membranes are mainly made up of a two-dimensional lipid bilayer along with integral and peripheral proteins. The complex nature of lipid membranes makes it difficult to study and hence artificial lipid membranes are prepared which mimic the original lipid membranes. These artificial lipid membranes are prepared from phospholipid vesicles (liposomes). The liposomes are formed when self-forming phospholipid bilayer comes in contact with water. Liposomes can be unilamellar or multilamellar vesicles which comprises of phospholipids that can be produced naturally or synthetically. The phospholipids are non-toxic, biodegradable and are readily produced on a large scale. These liposomes are mostly used in the drug delivery systems. This paper offers comprehensive literature with insights on developing basic understanding of lipid membranes from its structure, organization, and phase behavior to its potential use in biomedical applications. The progress in the field of artificial membrane models considering methods of preparation of liposomes for mimicking lipid membranes, interactions between the lipid membranes, and characterizing techniques such as UV-visible, FTIR, Calorimetry and X-ray diffraction are explained in a concise manner.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.191-195
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• 1993

We investigated the effects of n-alkanols on the range and rate of the lateral diffusion of 1, 3-di(1-pyrenyl)propane in the model membranes of total phospholipid fraction extracted from synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles. n-Akanols increased the range and rate of the lateral diffusion of 1, 3-di(1-pyrenyl)propane in the bulk model membrane structures (inner + outer monolayers) and the potencies of n-alknols up to 1-nonanol increased by 1 order of magnitude as the carbon chain length increases by two carbon atoms. The cut-off phenomenon was reached at 1-decanol, where further icnrease in hydrocarbon length resulted in a decrease in the lateral diffusion. However, significant changes in the 1'/1 value were not observed by methanol (from 100 to 2500 mM), ethanol (from 25 to 800 mM), and 1-propanol (from 10 to 250 mM) over entire concentration.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.743-750
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• 1997

Direct measurement of the kinetics of free fatty acid transfer between phospholipid model membrane is technically limited by the rapid nature of the transfer process. Separation of membrane-bound fatty acid by centrifugation has shown that although the equilibrium distribution of free fatty acid is determined by this method, fatty acid transfer occurs too rapidly for accurate kinetic measurements. Recently fluorescence resonance energy transfer(FRET) assay has been developed to examine transfer of fatty acids between membranes. Donor membranes which has fluorescent fatty acid, anthroyloxy fatty acid(AOFA), is mixed with acceptor membranes which has non-interchangeable fluorescent quencher, nitrobenzo-xadiazol(NBD), using stopped flow apparatus. As the fluorescent fatty acids transfer from donor membrane to acceptor membrane, fluorescence intensity would be decreased and the rate and degree of fatty acid transfer can be analyzed. Fatty acid transfer between micelles is more complicated because of bile salt. Therefore in experiments with micelles, fluorescence self quenching assay is used. At high concentrations, a fluorophore tends to quench its own fluorescence causing a reduction in fluorescence intensity. Donor micelles contained self quenching concentrations of fluorophore and acceptor micelles had no fluorophore. Upon mixing of donor and acceptor micelles, the rate of transfer of the fluorophore from the donor to the acceptor was measured by monitoring the release in self quenching when its concentration in donor decreased over time.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.459-468
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• 1984

The currently accepted model of membrane structure proposes a dynamic, asymmetric lipid matrix of phospholipids and cholesterol with globular proteins embedded across the membrane to various degrees. Most phospholipids are in the bilayer arrangement and also closely associated with integral membrane proteins or loosely associated with peripheral proteins. Biological functions of membrane, such as membrane-bound enzyme functions and transport systems, are influenced by the membrane physical properties, which are determined by fatty acid composition of phospholipids, polar head group composition and membrane cholesterol content. Polar and non-polar region of the phospholipid molecule can interact, with changes in the conformation of a membrane-associated protein altering either its catalytic activity or the protein's interaction with other membrane proteins. Mammalian dietary studies attempted to change the lipid composition of a few cell membranes have shown comparisons, using essential fatty acid-deficient diets. In recent years, Clandinin and a few other workers have pioneered the study proving the influence of dietary fat fed in a nutritionally complete diet on composition of phospholipid classes of cell membrane. Modulation caused by diet fat was rapid and reversible in phospholipid fatty acyl composition of membranes of cardiac mitochondria, liver cell, brain synaptosome and lymphocytes. These changes were at the same time, accompanied by variety of membrane associated functions controlled by membrane-bound enzymes, tranporter and receptor proteins. The findings suggest the basic concept of the necessity of dietary fatty acid balance if consistency of optimal membrane structural lipid composition is to be maintained, as well as the overall inadequacy of describing the nutritional-biochemical quality of a dietary fat solely by its content of linoleic acid. Furthermore, they give light on the possible application to clinical and preventive medicine.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.196-203
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• 1992

Intramolecular excimer formation of 1, 3-di(1-pyrenyl)propane (Py-3-Py) and fluorescence polarization of 1, 6-diphenyl-1, 3, 5-hexatriene (DPH) were used to investigate the effects of barbiturates on the fluidity of model membranes of phosphatidycholine (SPMVPC), phosphatidylserine (SPMVPS), and phosphatidylinositol (SPMVPI) fractions of synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles (SPMV) isolated from bovine cerebral cortex. In a dose-dependent manner, barbiturates decreased the excimer to monomer fluorescence intensity ratio (I'/I) of Py-3-Py and increased the anisotropy(r), rotational relaxation time (P), limiting anisotropy $(r_infty)$, and order parameter (S) of DPH in SPMVPC, SPMVPS and SPMVPI. This indicates that barbiturates decreased both the lateral and rotational diffusion of the probes in SPMVPC, SPMVPS and SPMVPI. The relative potencies of barbiturates in ordering the membranes were in the order: pentobarbital > hexobarbital > amobarbital > phenobarbital. This order correlates well with the anesthetic potencies of barbiturates and the potencies for enhancement of $\gamma$-aminobutyric acid-stimulated chloride uptake. Thus, it is strongly suggested that a close relationship might exist between the membrane ordering effects of barbiturates and the chloride fluxes across SPMV.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 1993

소의 신선한 대뇌피질로부터 synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles(SPMV)를 분리한 후 이 SPMV로부터 추출한 모든 인지질들로서 제제한 인공세포막(SPMVPL)에서의 n-alkanols 침투 정도를 형광 probe를 이용한 형광 소광법을 통하여 검색하였다. n-alkanols는 SPMVPL 외부 단층(outer monolayer)의 표면에 주로 분포하되 그 탄소수에 비례하여 소수성 부위에 분포되는 양이 증가되는 경향을 나타내었다. methanol, ethanol, 1-propano, 1-butanol, 1-pentanol, 1-hexanol, 1-heptanol, 1-octanol, 1-nonanol 및 1-decanol은 SPMVPL 외부 단층의 표면(친수성 부위)에 분포되는 것이 소수성 부위에 분포되는 것에 비하여 각각 432.4, 208.9. 125.6, 88.2, 19.3, 7.9, 2.6, 1.0, 0.42, 1.36배가 되었다. 1-decanol은 $C_{10}$인데도 불구하고 $C_8$인 1-octanol에 비하여 적은 양이 소수성 부위에 침투 분포된다는 것이 확인되었다. n-alkanols의 침투에 대하여 저자등이 이미 보고한 바 있는 SPMV 및 SPMVTL(cholesterol+phospholipids)의 경우보다도 본 연구에서의 SPMVPL의 경우가 현저하게 많은 양이 소수성 부위로 침투 분포된다는 것도 확인되었다.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.930-935
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• 1997

Fatty acid binging proteins(FABP) are distinct but related gene productes which are found in many mamalian cell types. FABP bind long chain fatty acids in vitro. However, their functions and mechanisms of action, in vivo, remain unknown . Also not known is whether all FABP function similaryly in their respective cell types. or whether different FABP have unique functions. The puropose of the present study was to assess whether different members of the FABP family exhibit different structural and function properties. A comparison was made between heart(H-FABP) and liver (L-FABP). The results show that the binding sites of both FABP are hydrophobic in nature, although the L-FABP site is more nonpolar than the H-FABP site. Additionally, the bound ligand experiences less motional constraint within the H-FABP binding site than within the L-FABP binding site. In accordance with these differences in structural properties, it was found that anthroyloxy-fatty acid transfer from H-FABP to membranes is markedly faster than from L-FABP. moreover, the mechanism of fatty acid transfer to phospholipid membranes appears to occur via transient collisional interactions between H-FABP and membranes. In contrast , transfer of fatty acid from L-FABP occurs via an aqueous diffusion mechanism.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.152-161
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• 1992

Selective quenching of 1, 6-diphenyl-1, 3, 5-hexatriene (DPH) by trinitrophenyl groups was utilized to examine the transbilayer fluidity asymmetry of model membranes of phospholipids (SPMVPL) extracted from synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles (SPMV). The polarization (P), anisotropy (r), limiting anisotropy $(r_\infty$), and order parameter (S) of DPH in the inner monolayer were 0.019, 0.014, 0.018, and 0.047, respectively, greater than calculated for the outer monolayer of SPMVPL. Selective quenching of DPH by trinitrophenyl groups was also utilized to examine the effects of n-alkanols on the individual monolayer structure of SPMVPL. n-Alkanols fluidized the hydrocarbon region of bulk SPMVPL and the potencies of n-alkanols up to 1-nonanon increased with carbon chain length. It appears that the potencies in bilayer fluidization increase by 1 order of magnitude as the carbon chain length increases by two carbon atoms. The cut-off phenomenon was reached at 1-decanol, where further increase in hydrocarbon length resulted in a decrease in pharmacological activity. The n-alkanols had greater fluidizing effects on the outer monolayer as compared to the inner monolayer of SPMVPL, even though these selective effects tended to become weaker as the carbon chain length increased. Thus, it has been proven that n-alkanols exhibit selective rather than nonselective fludizing effects within transbilayer domains of SPMVPL.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.529-539
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• 1998

The effects of membrane surface charge originated from lipid head groups on ion channels were tested by analyzing the activity of single large conductance $Ca^{2+}-activated\;K^+$ (maxi K) channel from rat skeletal muscle. The conductances and open-state probability ($P_o$) of single maxi K channels were compared in three types of planar lipid bilayers formed from a neutral phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) or two negatively-charged phospholipids, phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylinositol (PI). Under symmetrical KCl concentrations $(3{\sim}1,000\;mM)$, single channel conductances of maxi K channels in charged membranes were $1.1{\sim}1.7$ times larger than those in PE membranes, and the differences were more pronounced at the lower ionic strength. The average slope conductances at 100 mM KCl were $251{\pm}9.9$, $360{\pm}8.7$ and $356{\pm}12.4$ $(mean{\pm}SEM)$ pS in PE, PS and PI membranes respectively. The potentials at which $P_o$ was 1/2, appeared to have shifted left by 40 mV along voltage axis in the membranes formed with PS or PI. Such shift was consistently seen at pCa 5, 4.5, 4 and 3.5. Estimation of the effect of surface charge from these data indicated that maxi K channels sensed the surface potentials at a distance of $8{\sim}9\;{\AA}$ from the membrane surface. In addition, similar insulation distance ($7{\sim}9\;{\AA}$) of channel mouth from the bilayer surface charge was predicted by a 3-barrier-2-site model of energy profile for the permeation of $K^+$ ions. In conclusion, despite the differences in structure and fluidity of phospholipids in bilayers, the activities of maxi K channels in two charged membranes composed of PS or PI were strikingly similar and larger than those in bilayers of PE. These results suggest that the enhancement of conductance and $P_o$ of maxi channels is mostly due to negative charges in the phospholipid head groups.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.103-114
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• 1992

Selective quenching of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) by trinitrophenyl groups was utilized to examine the transbilayer fluidity domains of the model membranes of total lipids (SPMVTL) and phospholipids (SPMVPL) extracted from synaptosomal plasma membrane vesicles. At $37^{\circ}C$, all anisotropy (r), limiting anisotropy $(r_{\infty})$, and order parameter (S) values of DPH in the SPMVTL were larger than those in SPMVPL. The anisotropy, limiting anisotropy, and order parameter of DPH in the inner monolayer were 0.025, 0.033, and 0.070, respectively, greater than calculated for the outer monolayer of SPMVTL. In SPMVPL, the anisotropy, limiting anisotropy, and order parameter of DPH in the inner monolayer were 0.014, 0.018, and 0.047, respectively, greater than calculated for the outer monolayer. Selective quenching of DPH by trinitrophenyl groups was also utilized to examine the effects of barbiturates on the transbilayer fluidity domains of SPMVTL and SPMVPL. Barbiturates did not affect the anisotropy of DPH in the transbilayer domains of SPMVTL. In contrast, barbiturates increased the fluorescence anisotropy, limiting anisotropy, and order parameter of DPH in the SPMVPL in a dose-dependent manner. Barbiturates showed a greater ordering effect on the outer monolayer as compared to the inner monolayer of SPMVPL. Hence, it has been demonstrated for the first time that the Sheetz-Singer hypothesis (1974) may be valid for phospholipid model membranes.