Lipid domain formation in binary/ternary Giant Unilamellar Vesicles
Condensed Matter lunchtime seminar
Lipid domain formation in binary/ternary Giant Unilamellar Vesicles
- Event time: 1:00pm
- Event date: 19th February 2007
- Speaker: Zhijun Zhao (University of Edinburgh)
- Location: Room 2511, James Clerk Maxwell Building (JCMB) James Clerk Maxwell Building Peter Guthrie Tait Road Edinburgh EH9 3FD GB
Event details
Lipids are amphiphilic molecules which form the main constituents of living
organism membranes. In aqueous solution, they self-assemble into bilayer
structures such as Giant Unilamellar Vesicles(GUVs).I study GUVs of binary
and ternary lipid mixtures, specially DLPC/DPPC and DLPC/DPPC/Cholesterol
system. In two phase coexistence region, these lipid mixtures will
lateral-phase separate to create patterns of domains. By preferentially
partition of different fluorescent probes for different phases, I can use
Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy to visualize the domains and study their
formation and evolution. This will help us to understand the formation of
lateral segregation regions called 'lipid rafts' in cell membrane,thus gain
insight into the biophysics of cell membranes, as well as the basic physics
problem of solid-liquid phase separation in quasi 2D system.
In my talk I will focus on the question: what determines domains configuaration? Effects of phases, line tension, kinetics and impurities (cholesterol) will be discussed. Welcome!
In my talk I will focus on the question: what determines domains configuaration? Effects of phases, line tension, kinetics and impurities (cholesterol) will be discussed. Welcome!
About Condensed Matter lunchtime seminars
This is a weekly series of informal talks given primarily by members of the institute of condensed matter and complex systems, but is also open to members of other groups and external visitors. The aim of the series is to promote discussion and learning of various topics at a level suitable to the broad background of the group. Everyone is welcome to attend..