Thermodynamic Approach to Phase Coexistence in Ternary Phospholipid-Cholesterol Mixtures

• DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.106.128104
• Publication Date: 2011-03-23T17:09:20Z
• Authors: J. Wolff; C. M. Marques; F. Thalmann
• Keywords: Models, Molecular; 0301 basic medicine; 0303 health sciences; coexistence; PACS 87.16.dt, 64.75.-b, 87.14.Cc; Temperature; transition; cholesterol; FOS: Physical sciences; ternary; Condensed Matter - Soft Condensed Matter; Phase Transition; lipids; 03 medical and health sciences; Cholesterol; Thermodynamics; Soft Condensed Matter (cond-mat.soft); phase; theoretical; [PHYS.COND.CM-SCM]Physics [physics]/Condensed Matter [cond-mat]/Soft Condensed Matter [cond-mat.soft]; Phospholipids

We introduce a simple and predictive model for determining the phase stability of ternary phospholipid-cholesterol mixtures. Assuming that competition between liquid gel order phospholipids is main driving force behind lipid segregation, we derive Gibbs free energy mixing, based on thermodynamic properties lipids transition. A numerical approach was devised enables fast efficient determination diagrams associated with our energy. The computed coexistence diagram DOPC/DPPC/cholesterol reproduces well-known features this system at 10 °C, as well its evolution temperature.