?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F6531%2F&rft.title=Structural+Studies+of+Supported+Bilayers+as+Cell+Membrane+Model+Systems&rft.creator=Donovan%2C+Neil&rft.description=The+cell+membrane+is+thought+to+have+a+much+more+active+role+in+cellular+function+than+previously+known.+As+such%2C+there+is+considerable+interest+in+measuring+the+physical+properties+of+model+cell+membranes+to+determine+the+biological+relevance+of+these+systems%3B+specifically%2C+the+differences+between+the+conventional+model+of+a+free+bilayer+in+the+form+of+a+vesicle+and+a+solid-supported+lipid+bilayer+are+of+concern.+Solid-supported+lipid+bilayers+have+been+shown%2C+using+atomic+force+and+fluorescence+microscopy%2C+to+display+different+bulk+properties+than+vesicles.+The+molecular+information+offered+by+nuclear+magnetic+resonance+spectroscopy+complements+the+bulk+information+provided+by+surface+based+techniques.+We+are+developing+NMR+as+a+tool+to+probe+the+molecular+aspects+of+model+cell+membrane+structure.A+reliable+method+for+creating+supported+single+lipid+bilayers+on+spherical+supports+has+been+developed+by+our+lab.+The+resultant+spherically+supported+bilayers+(SSBs)+have+been+studied+using+2H+NMR+spectroscopy+to+elucidate+differences+in+structure+by+extracting+the+order+parameter+profile+of+the+alkyl+chains+from+the+2H+quadrupolar+splitting%2C+and+by+1H+NMR+diffusion+measurements%2C+where+the+diffusion+coefficient+is+used+as+a+spectroscopic+probe+of+molecular+behavior.Atomic+force+and+fluorescence+microscopy+studies+were+also+done+on+planar+supported+bilayers%2C+as+a+confirmation+of+the+bilayer+properties+as+measured+by+the+conventional+means.+Furthermore%2C+a+method+was+developed+using+AFM+to+indicate+definitively+whether+or+not+a+supported+bilayer+existed+on+the+supporting+mica+surface.Results+indicate+that+there+is+a+difference+in+bilayer+structure+between+supported+bilayers+and+the+conventional+model+of+a+free+bilayer.+A+method+for+extracting+the+alkyl+chain+order+parameter+profile+is+being+developed%2C+with+promising+initial+results.+Additionally%2C+an+NMR+diffusion+pulse+sequence+using+the+WATERGATE+water+suppression+technique+has+been+developed+and+employed+on+both+free+and+supported+lipid+bilayers.&rft.date=2008-06-04&rft.type=University+of+Pittsburgh+ETD&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.language=en&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fd-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu%2F6531%2F1%2FDonovan10192007.pdf&rft.identifier=++Donovan%2C+Neil++(2008)+Structural+Studies+of+Supported+Bilayers+as+Cell+Membrane+Model+Systems.++Master's+Thesis%2C+University+of+Pittsburgh.++++(Unpublished)++