Thermotropic and lyotropic phase behavior of lipids

By far the most intensively studied phase transitions induced by temperature are those between different lamellar phases. This is so, because the bimolecular leaflets of the lamellar phases serve as biomembrane models (see above). Lamellar phases with various degrees of order of the hydrocarbon chains can occur. The high temperature lamellar phase (L -phase) is a so-called liquid-crystalline phase. This consists of bimolecular lipid leaflets separated by water layers of defined 

The conversion of lipid/water systems from one type of phase to another can be induced by physical and chemical parameters. The phase structure depends, for instance, on the water content of the sample, but also on temperature and pressure. For systems with more than one lipid component, the lipid composition is, of course, also important. The phase transformation can be easily studied by differential scaruiing calorimetry (DSC) for a temperature induced transition, and 

---