Aggregation Properties of Biological Amphiphiles: Micelles and Vesicles

Abstract

Selfaggregation of amphiphilic molecules in aqueous solutions is discussed in terms of their geometrical properties. Gangliosides, sialic-acid containing glycosphingolipids, are an interesting example of biological amphiphiles which can selfaggregate into different shapes ranging from vesicles to micelles, depending on the relative extension and conformation of their saccharidic headgroups. The remarkable differences in the mechanical properties of ganglioside and lecitine vesicles are also discussed by means of geometrical considerations.