서강대학교

초록/요약

A cellular membrane is a physical boundary that differentiates cellular components from the outside. The adsorption and transport of molecules across the cellular membrane are intimately related to many important biological phenomena such as transport of ions or signal transduction. At the same time, the membrane maintains a basic cellular shape and structure; understanding its physical and mechanical properties is very important. Recently we developed an apparatus equipped with a microscopy and single cell manipulators, which is enable us to monitor a deformation of individual artificial cellular structures by aspirating the lipid vesicle with controlled pressure. By comparing the exerted pressure with the extent of surface area extension, we can calculate the modulus of lipid vesicles. In this study, we assembled mitochondria-like lipid vesicles composited with major lipid compositions (phophatidylcholine and cardiolipin). Since cardiolipin (CL) is a kind of lipid, but found only in mitochondria, we studied the effects of CL on physical properties, and shapes of cellular membrane. It is well known that the mitochondria inner membranes have a unique shape which is wavy and folded. In this study, we presented how the content of CL in lipid vesicles influences the structural characteristics. Finally, we discussed how the molecular structure of CL is responsible for the natural shape and physical structures of the mitochondria inner membranes.