Patterned Model Membrane for the Functional Studies of the Biological Membrane

Abstract

Functional roles of the membrane heterogeneity such as rafts are one of the fundamental questions in cell biology. Model membranes are emerging as an important tool for understanding the biological membrane, providing quantitative information of membrane proteins and lipids. We developed a patterned bilayer composed of liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld) phases as a model of raft, and evaluated the partition coefficients of membrane proteins between Lo and Ld phases to gauge their affinities to lipid rafts (raftophilicity). Quantitative information attained by the model membranes is critical for elucidating the membrane functions including raft, the ubiquitous yet enigmatic membrane heterogeneity.