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Neutrons and model membranes : Moving towards complexity

Fragneto, Giovanna ; Delhom, Robin LU ; Joly, Loïc and Scoppola, Ernesto (2018) In Current Opinion in Colloid and Interface Science 38. p.108-121
Abstract

Cells, the basic units of living organisms, are well delineated and separated from the external environment by membranes. Capable of both enclosing the cellular constituents and allowing exchanges with the outside world, these membranes are only a few nanometers thick. All the membranes in a human body cover an area of a few hectares, but account for only a small part of our mass. To study the dynamics and function of these amazing objects, physicists first seek to understand their structure. This involves experiments on model systems, simpler and better controlled than real membranes, and can profit from a probe that is able to access different scales of size and time: thermal neutrons. Since the pioneering work in the seventies on... (More)

Cells, the basic units of living organisms, are well delineated and separated from the external environment by membranes. Capable of both enclosing the cellular constituents and allowing exchanges with the outside world, these membranes are only a few nanometers thick. All the membranes in a human body cover an area of a few hectares, but account for only a small part of our mass. To study the dynamics and function of these amazing objects, physicists first seek to understand their structure. This involves experiments on model systems, simpler and better controlled than real membranes, and can profit from a probe that is able to access different scales of size and time: thermal neutrons. Since the pioneering work in the seventies on cell membrane structure by neutron scattering, developments driven by constantly improving neutron instrumentation, coupled with development of measurement and analysis methods, have involved both the optimization of samples towards more biologically relevant model systems and include the use of more complex lipid mixtures up to natural extracts. This review does not have the ambition to address the large number of contributions from all the groups working in this area in research laboratories and neutron facilities. It gives an update on some studies in the field carried out mainly by the authors and collaborators.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Bilayers, Interfaces, Lipids, Membranes, Neutron scattering, Yeasts
in
Current Opinion in Colloid and Interface Science
volume
38
pages
14 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85055274131
ISSN
1359-0294
DOI
10.1016/j.cocis.2018.10.003
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
53aac217-48d0-4728-9837-aa92c1e20a6f
date added to LUP
2018-11-15 08:14:07
date last changed
2022-03-02 17:42:54
@article{53aac217-48d0-4728-9837-aa92c1e20a6f,
  abstract     = {{<p>Cells, the basic units of living organisms, are well delineated and separated from the external environment by membranes. Capable of both enclosing the cellular constituents and allowing exchanges with the outside world, these membranes are only a few nanometers thick. All the membranes in a human body cover an area of a few hectares, but account for only a small part of our mass. To study the dynamics and function of these amazing objects, physicists first seek to understand their structure. This involves experiments on model systems, simpler and better controlled than real membranes, and can profit from a probe that is able to access different scales of size and time: thermal neutrons. Since the pioneering work in the seventies on cell membrane structure by neutron scattering, developments driven by constantly improving neutron instrumentation, coupled with development of measurement and analysis methods, have involved both the optimization of samples towards more biologically relevant model systems and include the use of more complex lipid mixtures up to natural extracts. This review does not have the ambition to address the large number of contributions from all the groups working in this area in research laboratories and neutron facilities. It gives an update on some studies in the field carried out mainly by the authors and collaborators.</p>}},
  author       = {{Fragneto, Giovanna and Delhom, Robin and Joly, Loïc and Scoppola, Ernesto}},
  issn         = {{1359-0294}},
  keywords     = {{Bilayers; Interfaces; Lipids; Membranes; Neutron scattering; Yeasts}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{108--121}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Current Opinion in Colloid and Interface Science}},
  title        = {{Neutrons and model membranes : Moving towards complexity}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cocis.2018.10.003}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.cocis.2018.10.003}},
  volume       = {{38}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}