Organization of Sterols in Model Membranes

Abstract

This thesis deals with the structure and phase behaviour oflipid-sterol model membranes. Sterols such as cholesterol, are essential components of plasma membranes. They play important roles in several biological processes. Cholesterol rich functional domains called "rafts", have been proposed to exist in the plasma membranes. It is also interesting to note that sterols have evolved in a biochemical pathway. There are several sterols which share similar chemical structures with cholesterol. However specific sterols have been found to be present in particular organisms. For example higher order eukaryotic membranes contain cholesterol, whereas yeast and fungi have ergosterol in their membranes. Our motivation was to study the influence of the sterol structure on the structure and thermodynamic phase behaviour of lipid membranes.