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Effects of a Short-Chain Ceramide on Bilayer Domain Formation, Thickness, and Chain Mobililty: DMPC and Asymmetric Ceramide Mixtures

Dolores C. Carrer ^*, Shirley Schreier , Martín Patrito  and Bruno Maggio ^*

^* Departamento de Química Biológica–CIQUIBIC and Departamento de Físico-Química—INFIQC, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina; and Instituto de Química, University de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Correspondence: Address reprint requests to Dolores C. Carrer, MEMPHYS–Centre for Biomembrane Physics, Physics Department, Campusvej 55 DK 5230, Odense M, Denmark. Fax: 45-6615-8760; E-mail: dcarrer{at}gmail.com.

An important part of natural ceramides contain asymmetric hydrocarbon chains. We have used calorimetry, atomic force microscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance to study the effect of ceramide chain asymmetry in mixtures of C8Cer with DMPC as a model system of hydrocarbon chain disparity. A phase diagram is provided along with information on the thickness of the membrane and the mobility of the chains at different temperatures both below and above the phase transition temperature of the mixtures. The results indicate a partial interdigitation of C8Cer chains in the gel phase, producing a correlation between the organization of both hemilayers. Our data suggest that the effects of ceramides on biomembranes may be bimodal and similar to those of cholesterol.

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