![Sample our Physical Sciences journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/110819/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Physical-Sciences.jpg"})
Abstract
Interdigitated bilayer phases have been unambiguously shown to occur in phospholipid systems. The presence of the interdigitated bilayer phase is influenced by the character of the lipids present in the bilayer and the structure of the solvent at the bilayer-solvent interface. Phase structures and transitions involving interdigitated phases are examined using real time x-ray diffraction. The synthetic lipids 1,2 O-dihexadecylphosphatidylcholinc (DHPC) in water and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) in ethanol/water or 1 M KSCN have been previously shown to form an interdigitated gel state bilayer phase. The dynamic phase sequence observed for DHPC in water was found to be:
The dynamic phase sequence observed for DPPC in ethanol/water or 1 M KSCN was found to not contain a ripple (P β) phase. It can be concluded that changes in the ordering of the solvent structure at the bilayer-solvent interface can prevent the dynamic formation of the rippled bilayer phase.