Cholesterol Hinders the Passive Uptake of Amphiphilic Nanoparticles into Fluid Lipid Membranes
Ester Canepa, Davide Bochicchio, Matteo Gasbarri, Davide Odino, Claudio Canale, Riccardo Ferrando, F. Canepa, Francesco Stellacci, Giulia Rossi, Silvia Dante, Annalisa Relini
Abstract
-glycero-3-phosphocholine membranes with increasing cholesterol content. We combine dissipative quartz crystal microbalance experiments, atomic force microscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations to show that membrane cholesterol, at biologically relevant concentrations, hinders the molecular mechanism for passive NP penetration within fluid bilayers, resulting in a dramatic reduction in the amount of NP incorporated.
Topics & Concepts
MembraneQuartz crystal microbalanceAmphiphileChemistryLipid bilayerBilayerBiophysicsPenetration (warfare)Dissipative particle dynamicsCholesterolNanoparticleBiological membraneLiposomeNanotechnologyMaterials scienceBiochemistryOrganic chemistryPolymerBiologyCopolymerAdsorptionOperations researchEngineeringLipid Membrane Structure and BehaviorNanopore and Nanochannel Transport StudiesForce Microscopy Techniques and Applications