Membranes components

A receptor is a surface membrane component, usually a protein, which regulates some biological event in response to reversible binding of a relatively small molecule40 . The precise three-dimensional structures of the binding sites of receptors still remain unknown today. Thus, this section mainly describes the correlation of shape similarity between the molecules which would bind to a given receptor with their biological activity. 

Martin, G.R. Timpl, R. (1987). Laminin and other basement membrane components. Ann. Rev. Cell. Biol. 3, 57-85. 

The use of Upid bilayers as a relevant model of biological membranes has provided important information on the structure and function of cell membranes. To utilize the function of cell membrane components for practical applications, a stabilization of Upid bilayers is imperative, because free-standing bilayer lipid membranes (BLMs) typically survive for minutes to hours and are very sensitive to vibration and mechanical shocks [156,157]. The following concept introduces S-layer proteins as supporting structures for BLMs (Fig. 15c) with largely retained physical features (e.g., thickness of the bilayer, fluidity). Electrophysical and spectroscopical studies have been performed to assess the appUcation potential of S-layer-supported lipid membranes. The S-layer protein used in aU studies on planar BLMs was isolated fromB. coagulans E38/vl. 

Changes in membrane structure (eg caused by ischemia) can affect water balance and ion flux and therefore every process within the cell. Specific deficiencies or alterations of certain membrane components lead to a variety of diseases (see Table 41-5). In short, normal cellular function depends on normal membranes. 

The process by which cells take up large molecules is called endocytosis. Some of these molecules (eg, polysaccharides, proteins, and polynucleotides), when hydrolyzed inside the cell, yield nutrients. Endocytosis provides a mechanism for regulating the content of certain membrane components, hormone receptors being a case in point. Endocytosis can be used to learn more about how cells function. DNA from one cell type can be used to transfect a different cell and alter the latter s function or phenotype. A specific gene is often employed in these experiments, and this provides a unique way to smdy and analyze the regulation of that gene. DNA transfection depends upon endocytosis endocy-... 

The lipid in muscle is composed primarily of triglycerides (depot fats) and of phospholipids (membrane components), and is a constituent which varies enormously not only in amount present, but also in properties such as degree of saturation (species dependent). The ash of lean meat is comprised of various minerals such as phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc Carbohydrate was not noted in the proximate composition because while some may be present, it is normally there in low concentration compared to the other constituents. Glycogen is the carbohydrate occurring in greatest concentration in muscle but is normally degraded soon after the animal is sacrificed. 

Primary and secondary products, and end-products of lipid peroxidation have all been shown to accumulate in senile cataracts (Babizhayev, 1989b Simonelli et al., 1989). Accumulation of these compounds in the lenticular epithelial membranes is a possible cause of damage preceding cataract formation. In senile cataracts there is also extensive oxidation of protein methionine and cysteine in both the membrane and cytosol components (Garner and Spector, 1980), while in aged normal lenses a lesser extent of oxidation was confined to the membrane. The authors therefore suggested that oxidation of membrane components was a precataract state. 

As stated earlier, the primary site of association of [ H]MDA with brain synaptosomes is with membrane components, not with the intrasynaptic space. While the phenolic ends of these compounds may enable them to interact with hydrophobic environments of brain membrane components, their polar side chains may inhibit the ability of these compounds to move freely across the membranes, thus inhibiting internalization. The pKa of... 

Hepatic steatosis usually is a result of excessive administration of carbohydrates and/or lipids, but deficiencies of carnitine, choline, and essential fatty acids also may contribute. Hepatic steatosis can be minimized or reversed by avoiding overfeeding, especially from dextrose and lipids.35,38 Carnitine is an important amine that transports long-chain triglycerides into the mitochondria for oxidation, but carnitine deficiency in adults is extremely rare and is mostly a problem in premature infants and patients receiving chronic dialysis. Choline is an essential amine required for synthesis of cell membrane components such as phospholipids. Although a true choline deficiency is rare, preliminary studies of choline supplementation to adult patients PN caused reversal of steatosis. 

The survey of over 50 artificial lipid membrane models (pION) in this chapter reveals a new and very promising in vitro GIT model, based on the use of levels of lecithin membrane components higher than those previously reported, the use of negatively charged phospholipid membrane components, pH gradients, and artificial sink conditions. Also, a novel direction is suggested in the search for an ideal in vitro BBB model, based on the salient differences between the properties of the GIT and the BBB. 

Up to now we have focused on measurement of permeability and membrane retention at pH 7.4. Since the GIT covers a range of pH values, with pH 5-8 characterizing the small intestine, it is necessary to address the pH dependence of the transport of drug molecules. Even nonionizable molecules may be affected by pH dependence, since several biological membrane components themselves are ionizable (pKa values listed in Fig. 7.4). For example, with PS, PA, and DA (free fatty acid) undergoing changes in charge state in the pH 5-8 interval. In this section, we examine the consequences of pH dependence. 

Assembly of nucleic acid and protein subunits (and membrane components in enveloped viruses) into new virus particles ... 

Szostak et al. worked on the basis of a simple cellular system which can replicate itself autonomously and which is subject to Darwinian evolution. This simple protocell consists of an RNA replicase, which replicates in a self-replicating vesicle. If this system can take up small molecules from its environment (a type of feeding ), i.e., precursors which are required for membrane construction and RNA synthesis, the protocells will grow and divide. The result should be the formation of improved replicases. Improved chances of survival are only likely if a sequence, coded by RNA, leads to better growth or replication of membrane components, e.g., by means of a ribozyme which catalyses the synthesis of amphiphilic lipids (Figs. 10.8 and 10.9). We can expect further important advances in the near future from this combination ( RNA + lipid world ). 

Organism Outer membrane receptor Binding protein Membrane component ATP-binding component Substrates References... 

It has been suggested [6] that these unusual sterols, especially in those cases where these unusual sterols comprise the entire sterol content of the organisms, likely replace conventional sterols as cell-membrane components. Evidence for this comes from subcellular fractionation and subsequent analysis of two marine sponges [10]. The sterol composition of the membrane isolates was found to be identical to that of the intact sponge. Most common variation of the marine sterol is in the side-chain, situated deep in the lipophylic environment of the phospholipid bilayer. This suggests that unusual fatty acids might accompany the sterols, and indeed this is often the case [8]. 

Thornber, J.P., Trosper, T.L., Strouse, C.E. Bacteriochlorophyll in vivo relationship of spectral forms to specific membrane components. In The Photosynthetic Bacteria (Clayton, R.K., Sistrom, W.R., eds.). New York Plenum Press 1978, pp. 133-160... 

W., Lifetime of neutral-carrier-based liquid membranes in aqueous samples and blood and the lipophilicity of membrane components, Anal. Chem. 1991 63 596-603. 

Data are available for plasticizers and ionophores, and indicate the operational stability (the higher the log P value, the higher the lipophilicity). The minimal lipophilicity log P required for membrane components with a lifetime of 30 x 24 h upon exposure to aqueous solution is estimated to be around 10 whereas it has to be as high as 25 for direct measurement in blood, serum and plasma. 

Orr, G.A. (1981) The use of the 2-iminobiotin—Avidin interaction for the selective retrieval of labeled plasma membrane components./. Biol. Chem. 256, 761-766. 

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