Cholesterol in biological membranes helps controlling membrane permiability and fluidity. Can anyone inform where cholesterol gets precisely located in model membranes, and how it influences the membrane order in gel and liquid crystalline phases.
Cholesterol is situated in the membrane with its hydroxyl group at the surface with the polar head groups, and its ring structure deeper in the membrane with the lipid side chains.
Cholesterol interferes with the orderly packing of lipid side chains, enhancing membrane fluidity.
Cholesterol suppresses the phase transition in phospholipid bilayers. At 1 mole cholesterol per mole of phospholipid, there is no observable phase transition, at least in bulk analysis.
Here is a useful presentation about lipids membranes that covers these topics:
https://www.rpi.edu/dept/bcbp/molbiochem/MBWeb/mb1/part2/lipid.htm
Thank you. Sorry Professor Shapiro, I forgot thanking you for your nice explanation of my question.
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