Differential scanning calorimetry lipid-water systems

Comparson of the transitions observed by differential scanning calorimetry in membranes of M. laidlawii and in water dispersions of the lipids from the membranes support the concept that most of the lipids exist as a smectic mesophase in the membranes. The evidence for a bilayer structure is straightforward in this case. Lipid transition temperatures are a function of fatty acid composition and correlate well with biological properties. The calorimeter possesses advantages over high resolution NMR for M. laidlawii, and perhaps in many other systems, because the data can be interpreted less ambiguously. In M. laidlawii membranes the bilayer appears to be compatible with the same physical properties observed in other membranes—a red-shifted ORD, lack of ft structure in the infrared, reversible dissociation by detergents, and poorly... 

Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) Studies. Hairless mouse abdomen stratum corneum, extracted lipids and protein residues were studied with a Perkin Elmer 4 differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) equipped with a thermal analysis data system (TADS). Scanning rates were 10°C per minute over the temperature region -10 to 237°C. Stratum corneum, extracted lipid and protein residue samples obtained from the abdomen of the hairless mice (average 10 mg/sample) were studied in the desiccated state following evaporation of any residue water or solvents by vacuum drying at 10 4 Torr. 

Champan, D., Urbina, J., and Keough, K. M. (1974), Studies of lipid water systems using differential scanning calorimetry,/. Biol. Chem., 249(8), 2512-2521. 

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