Modulation of Substrate-Membrane Interactions by Linear Poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) Spacers Revealed by X-ray Reflectivity and Ellipsometry

Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review

Contributors

  • Peter C. Seitz - , Heidelberg University  (Author)
  • Michael D. Reif - , Technical University of Munich (Author)
  • Oleg V. Konovalov - , European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Author)
  • Rainer Jordan - , Chair of Macromolecular Chemistry, Technical University of Munich (Author)
  • Motomu Tanaka - , Heidelberg University  (Author)

Abstract

Hydrated polymer interlayers between planar lipid membranes and solid substrates provide a water reservoir and thus maintain a finite membrane-substrate distance. Linear polymer spacers attached to lipid head groups (lipopolymer tethers) can be used as a defined model of oligo- and polysaccharides covalently anchored on cell surfaces (glycocalyx). They can offer a unique advantage over membranes physisorbed on polymer films (called polymer-cushioned membranes), owing to their ability to control both the length and density of polymer chains. In this study, a lipopolymer tether composed of a stable ether lipid moiety and a hydrophilic poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) spacer with a length of 60 monomer units is used to fabricate supported membranes by the successive deposition of proximal (lower) and distal (upper) leaflets. Using specular X-ray reflectivity and ellipsometry, we systematically investigate how the lateral density of polymer chains influences the membrane-substrate interactions. The combination of two types of reflectivity techniques under various conditions enables the calculation of quantitative force-distance relationships. Such artificial membrane systems can be considered as a half-model of cell-cell contacts mediated via the glycocalyx, which reveals the influence of polymer chain density on the interplay of interfacial forces at biological interfaces.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2876-2883
Number of pages8
JournalChemPhysChem
Volume10
Issue number16
Publication statusPublished - 9 Nov 2009
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 19806631

Keywords

Keywords

  • Ellipsometry, Interfaces lipopolymers, Membranes, X-ray reflectivity