Ca-ions at PS-containing biomimetic lipid layers: Interfacial water

Lipid membranes provide a sensitive platform for a variety of biological functions, and membrane lipid distributions are carefully regulated. In this project we plan to study the interaction of Ca2+- ions with model lipid monolayers that contain a mixture of zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine (PC) and anionic phosphatidylserine (PS) such that basic Ca2+-based processes as e.g. relevant in cell signalling as during apoptosis can be accessed. The conjecture of an accumulation of Ca2+-ions into the headgroup interface of a PS-containing monolayer and the resulting changes in the headgroup hydration / interfacially associated water shall be confirmed by use of neutron reflectometry.

脂质膜（lipid membranes）为多种生物功能提供了灵敏的作用平台，膜脂分布受到严格调控。本项目拟研究钙离子（Ca²+ ions）与包含两性离子磷脂酰胆碱（phosphatidylcholine, PC）和阴离子磷脂酰丝氨酸（phosphatidylserine, PS）混合物的模型脂质单分子层之间的相互作用，以期探究与细胞信号传导及细胞凋亡过程相关的经典钙离子依赖生理过程。本研究将通过中子反射术（neutron reflectometry）验证如下推测：钙离子会在含磷脂酰丝氨酸的单分子层头部基团界面处发生富集，并由此引发头部基团水化与界面结合水的相关变化。