Structure of the <span class="aps-inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msub><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">L</mi></mrow><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">β</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span> phases in a hydrated phosphatidylcholine multimembrane

G. S. Smith; E. B. Sirota; C. R. Safinya; N. A. Clark

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.60.813

Structure of the $L_{β}$ phases in a hydrated phosphatidylcholine multimembrane

G. S. Smith, E. B. Sirota, C. R. Safinya, and N. A. Clark

Phys. Rev. Lett. 60, 813 – Published 29 February 1988

Abstract

We report x-ray measurements on well aligned, freely suspended films of stacked bilayer membranes of the phospholipid dimyristoyl-phosphatidylcholine in a continuously variable humidity- and temperature-controlled environment. Remarkably, the most commonly observed $L_{β ’}$ phase is in fact three distinct 2D phases where the phase transitions are driven by hydration forces and the phases are distinguished by the relation between the molecular tilt direction and the 2D bond direction.

Received 18 November 1987

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.60.813

Authors & Affiliations

G. S. Smith, E. B. Sirota, C. R. Safinya, and N. A. Clark

Corporate Research Science Laboratories, Exxon Research and Engineering Company, Annandale, New Jersey 08801
Physics Department, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309