• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.508-517
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• 1998

We investigated the effects of godulbaegi extracts on the physiochemical properties of biological membranes as membrane stability and fluidity employing the phospholipid liposomal membrances as a biomembrane-mimetic system. The addition of the godulbaegi extracts to the phospholipid exterted great effects stagbilized the barrier function of the liposomal membranes in proportion to the concentration of the additive and significantly increased the membranes fluidity. The values of the fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl 1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) decreased gradually as the temperature increased, and decreased abruptly near the phase transition temperature (Tm) of the liposome from gel to liquid crystalline state as usual. These results suggest that the activities of the godulbaegi extracts to enhance the stability and fluidity of the liposomal membranes have implication in their biological activities.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.181-184
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• 1988

The effect of clover saponin on the phase transition of liposomal lipid bilayers of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine was investigated with differential scanning calorimetry. The thermograms of the liposomal bilayers incorporated with the clover saponin were obtained, and the enthalpy changes and the sizes of cooperative unit of the transition were calculated. The results showed that incorporation of the clover saponin into the liposomal bilayers effectively reduced the transition temperature at which the transition from solid state to liquid-crystalline state occurs, and broadened the thermogram peaks. It also reduced the size of cooperative unit of the transition. These results indicate that the clover saponin might have significant effect on the fluidity of biological membranes.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.67 no.2
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• pp.89-98
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• 2023

The cell membrane, also known as the biological membrane, surrounds every living cell. The main components of cell membranes are lipids and therefore called as lipid membranes. These membranes are mainly made up of a two-dimensional lipid bilayer along with integral and peripheral proteins. The complex nature of lipid membranes makes it difficult to study and hence artificial lipid membranes are prepared which mimic the original lipid membranes. These artificial lipid membranes are prepared from phospholipid vesicles (liposomes). The liposomes are formed when self-forming phospholipid bilayer comes in contact with water. Liposomes can be unilamellar or multilamellar vesicles which comprises of phospholipids that can be produced naturally or synthetically. The phospholipids are non-toxic, biodegradable and are readily produced on a large scale. These liposomes are mostly used in the drug delivery systems. This paper offers comprehensive literature with insights on developing basic understanding of lipid membranes from its structure, organization, and phase behavior to its potential use in biomedical applications. The progress in the field of artificial membrane models considering methods of preparation of liposomes for mimicking lipid membranes, interactions between the lipid membranes, and characterizing techniques such as UV-visible, FTIR, Calorimetry and X-ray diffraction are explained in a concise manner.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.157-167
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• 1987

Benzyl alcohol is known to have dual effect on the red blood cell shape change. At low concentration up to 50 mM benzyl alcohol transformed the shape from discocyte to stomatocyte by preferent binding to the inner hemileaflet, however, at higher concentratransformed the shape from discocyte to stomatocyte by preferential binding to the inner monolayer, however, at higher concentration above 50 mM benzyl alcohol transformed to echinocyte by affecting both monolayers. These results suggest that the effect of benzyl alcohol on the red blood cell shape and $Ca^{++}$ transport across cardiac cell membranes to assess the effects of the drug on the structures and functions of the biological cell membranes. The results are as follows: 1) Benzyl alcohol up to 40 mM caused progressive stomatocytic shap change of the red blood cell but above 50 mM benzyl alcohol caused echinocytic shape change. 2) Benzyl alcohol up to 40 mM inhibited both osmotic hemolysis and osmotic volume change of the red blood cell in hypotonic and hypertonic NaCl solutions, respectively. 3) Benzyl alcohol inhibited both Bowditch Staircase and Wood-worth Staircase phenomena at rat left auricle. 4) Benzyl alcohol at concentration of 5 mM increased $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity of red blood cell ghosts slightly but above S mM benzyl alcohol inhibited the $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity. 5) Benzyl alcohol at concentrations of 5 mM and 10 mM increased $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity slightly at rat gastrocnemius muscle S.R. but above 10 mM benzyl alcohol inhibited the $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity. Above results indicate that benzyl alcohol inhibit water permeability and $Ca^{++}$ transport across cell membranes in part via effects on the fluidity and transition temperatures of the bulk lipid by preferential intercalation into cytoplasmic monolayer and in part via other effect on the conformational change of active sites of the $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ molecule extended in cytoplasmic face.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.27-32
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• 2000

To understand the effects of the fraction from Chrysanthemum coronarium L. (CC), we prepared five different types of samples, denoted here as CCMM, CCMH, CCMEA, CCMB and CCMA. We studied the effects of these samples on the phase transition of liposomal membranes by high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry (nano-DSC). We used dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers which make most stable liposomes among the other phosphatidylcholines. When the samples were added to the bilayers, the phase transition temperatures of DPPC liposomes incorporated with CCMH and CCMEA were decreased by 1.5 and 2^{\circ}C$, while the other three fractions showed less tendencies. The CCMH and CCMEA fractions markedly affected the thermotropic properties of DPPC liposomes, broadened and shifted the thermograms of DSC. It also significantly reduced the size of cooperative unit of the transition. In all cases, there was no change in enthalpy of transition within the concentration range of the CC fractions studied. We concluded that the incorporation of the CCMH and CCMEA into DPPC liposomes was preferentially located in the hydrophobic core of DPPC bilayers compared to the other three fractions CCMM, CCMB and CCMA. These results suggest that certain substances in CCMH and CCMEA fractions might have biologically significant effects on the fluidity of biological membrane.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2004

Biosupramolecular systems such as biological membranes usually fluid under physiological conditions$^1$. Therefore, solid-state NMR has been used to investigate biosupramolecular systems. But solid-state NMR spectra contain a large number of overlapping resonances and are rather difficult to analyze. These problem has to be overcome by selective isotope labeling. We constructed a deuterium NMR probe for AM400 NMR spectrometer, which is mainly used for liquid samples. To overcome the fluidity problem, a saddle type coil was designed. The efficiency was systematically investigated for two kinds of coil geometry, solenoid and saddle types. Our results suggest that solenoids are superior to saddle type coils in the sensitivity. However, the letter fits better to fluid samples such as biosupramolecular systems.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.68-74
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• 2002

Studies of the relationship between the composition of serum fatty acids and blood pressure are complex and controversial. Fatty acids, important constituents of biological membranes, could potentially affect vasoreactivities including blood pressure. In this study the compositions of fatty acids in serum phospholipids were compared between three types of hypertensive subjects (men, pre-menopausal women, and post-menopausal women) and their respective nrmotensive controls. Serum lipids were extracted and phospholipids were separated by thin layer chromatography. The percentage of palmitic acid (16 : 0) in serum phospholipids was significantly higher and the percentage of stearic acid (18 : 0) was significantly lower in all three hypertensive groups, compared with their corresponding control groups. Only in the group of post-menopausal women, palmitic acid was closely associated wish increases in both systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), while stearic acid was associated with decreases in both SBP and DBP. The polyunsaturated fatty acids in serum phospholipids behaved differently from saturated fatty acids. The ratios of products / precursor fatty acids, such as $\sumLCPUFA\omega6/18 : 2\omega$6, 20 : 4$\omega$6/18 : 2$\omega$6, ∑LCPUFA$\omega$3/18 : 3$\omega$3 and 22 : 6$\omega$3/20 : 5$\omega$3, were all clearly associated with both SBP and DBP in hypertensive, post-menopausal women. Desaturation and elongation in fatty acid metabolism could affect the bioavailability of eicosanoid precursors. Changes in the constituent fatty acids of phospholipids and eicosanoid precursors may also influence fluidity, ionic transport, hormone receptors and enzyme activities in biological membranes. In conclusion, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in post-menopausal women was positively associated with the level of palmitic acid, and negatively associated with the level of stearic acid, in serum phospholipids. The relationships between serum phospholipid-$\omega$6 and $\omega$3 series fatty acids and blood pressure in women, especially in post-menopausal women, require further investigation by taking into consideration hormonal status and eicosanoid metabolism. Funker study is needed to determine the value of dietary manipulation of fatty acid constituents of serum phospholipids, relating to hypertension in women.