AI Article Synopsis

  • Students engage in a lab experiment using Raman spectroscopy to study how different phospholipid compositions affect the structure and order of lipid bilayers, simulating cell membranes.
  • They prepare supported lipid bilayers by spreading liposomes on a solid surface, which helps in understanding the role of phospholipids in cellular membranes with applications in drug delivery.
  • The experiment emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary education by integrating chemistry, molecular interactions, and spectroscopy to deepen students' comprehension of biological membranes.

Article Abstract

In an upper-division interdisciplinary laboratory experiment, students use Raman spectroscopy to highlight how the overall structure and conformational order of lipid bilayers can be influenced by their individual phospholipid composition. Students prepare a supported lipid bilayer, as a model cell membrane, by spreading liposomes made of various phospholipids on a solid support. The characterization of phospholipid bilayers, a major component of cellular membranes, can advance our fundamental understanding of important biological phenomena, with significant implications in various fields including drug delivery and development. We use Raman spectroscopy as an analytical tool to investigate the structural and packing properties of model cell membranes. The spectral frequency, intensity, and line-width of lipid Raman bands are extremely sensitive to structural alterations. This experimental module effectively exposes students to the fundamentals of Raman spectroscopy and teaches students the importance of interdisciplinary education as they integrate concepts from chemical structure, molecular interactions, and analytical spectroscopic techniques to gain a more holistic understanding of biological membrane properties.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21603DOI Listing

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