The Role of Water in the Responsive Properties in Lipid Interphase of Biomimetic Systems

, DISALVO. E ANIBAL; FRIAS, M DE LOS ANGELES

Liposome-Advances and perspectives

Intech Open

Año: 2019; p. 1 - 22

The lack of details in the hydration properties of lipid bilayers hinders the designof biomimetic systems that, as liposomes and vesicles, may be used for biotechnological and medical purposes. In this chapter, studies indicate water as a membranedynamic component determining the affinity and response of lipid membranes toamino acids, peptides and others stimuli. Based on thermodynamic analysis in lipidmonolayers and its comparison with swelling shrinkage processes in liposomes andvesicles, it is concluded that: (1) the interphase of a lipid bilayer in a bidimensionalsolution of hydrated polar groups imbibed in labile water can be exchanged withthe media by osmosis and or expansion-compression. (2) Excess water beyond thehydration shell (confined water) has solvent properties for additives in the bulkwater phase and confers free energy that is in excess for binding of amino acids andpeptides. (3) Dissolution in the water membrane phase changes the water activity(aw) and affects the surface pressure. (4) Defects may be formed by the compression of bilayers in which carbonyl groups organized water differently. These studiesindicate that a deeper understanding of the role of lipid bilayers in cellular biologyand support the development of future lipid-based biotechnology that shouldnecessarily include the role of water as a membrane dynamic component.