The Physicochemical Study on the Formation of Glycolipid Domain

Abstract

The glycosphingolipid in the cell membrane seems to exist in “rafs”, and the research on the raft to understand its biological meaning has been carried out as described in the minireview of this special issue. Though it is important to clarify the effect of raft formation on the biochemical function, it is also necessary to study the physiochemical factor in the formation of glycolipid domain. In the author's research, the effect of the matrix lipid on recognition function of the glycolipid was examined using the lipid monolayer as a biomembrane model. In addition, the driving force in which glycolipids form cluster structures has been examined by analysis of the surface pressure-molecular area isotherm of an air-water interface monolayer, and by observation of the topology of mixed lipid membranes by atomic force microscope.