Rapid-fire lasers reveal that water molecules adopt three distinct local structures around model lipid monolayers
Friday, October 19, 2012 - 07:31
in Biology & Nature
Before taking effect, pharmaceuticals that target cell function must cross a crucial barrier: the complex assembly of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates that make up biological membranes. Recently, scientists realized that besides a membrane's internal components, thin water layers at its inner and outer surfaces may also play important roles in ion and small molecule transport. However, most characterization methods cannot distinguish between bulk and surface water, so identifying water structures around membranes is challenging.