Interfacial tension of the two-component bilayer lipid membrane modelling of cell membrane

Interfacial tension has been determined for two-component lipid membranes. The measurement of the interfacial tension consisted in applying a pressure difference on both sides of the membrane and the measuring of its curvatur e. Lecithin and cholesterol were used because of their presence in biologic al membranes. Interfacial tension values of pure components are 1.623 mN/m and 4.715 mN/m. The 1:1 complex was formed during formation of lecithin/cho lesterol lipid membrane. The following parameters describing the complex we re determined: Gamma(3) the surface concentration of the lipid membrane for med of lecithin/cholesterol complex, gamma(3), the interfacial tension of s uch membrane, and the stability constant of the complex, K. These values ar e 3.900 x 10(-7) mol/m(2), 4.423 mN/m (mean) and 2.661 x 10(7), respectivel y. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.