THERMODYNAMIC AND TOPOLOGIC CHARACTERIZATION OF MAMMAL AND INSECT NATURAL MEMBRANES AT THE AIR-WATER INTERPHASE.

NICOLAS G COLMANO; IVAN FELSZTYNA ; MARIELA E. SÁNCHEZ; DANIEL A. GARCÍA; ANAHI V. TURINA

Buenos Aires

Congreso; Reunión Conjunta de Sociedades de Biociencias; 2017

The aim of this work was to acknowledge differences between thermodynamic parameters and topology of mammal (Bos taurus ) and insect (Aedes aegypti and Triatoma infestans) nervous cell membranes. Monolayers of said membranes were spread over the water surface by various methods in order to prevent the presence of vesicles in the subphase. The general composition of the membranes was determined by phosphate and cholesterol essay . Langmuir Films isotherms showed clear differences between mammal and insect membranes, both insect membranes had a first collapse between 45-47 mN/m, while mammal membranes had collapse pressures between 50-52 mN/m and showed a transition around 36 mN/m that was not present in insect membranes. The Wet Bridge method (WB) for spreading monolayers resulted in almost identical isotherms .Fluorescence microscopy was carried out to characterize the topography of the monolayers as well as for checking the absence of vesicles in the subphase; regarding vesicles in the subphase, the WB method did not prevent the apparition of vesicles, though it reduced the number of vesicles considerably, as for the topology, no apparent differences were observed between the membranes, nevertheless more experiments regarding this aspect are required for an accurate result.