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Presented By: Department of Physics

Minicolloquium | Using Physics to Function: Phases and Fluctuations in Cell Plasma Membranes

Sarah Veatch (U-M Physics)

Minicolloquium link: http://myumi.ch/AxgeZ

The thermodynamic properties of plasma membrane lipids play a vital role in many functions at the mammalian cell surface. Some functions are thought to occur, at least in part, because plasma membrane lipids have a tendency to separate into two distinct liquid phases. We propose that these lipid mediated functions occur because the plasma membrane is biologically tuned close to a miscibility critical point at physiological temperature. In this talk, I will briefly summarize experimental support for this hypothesis, and discuss ongoing research in the Veatch lab aimed at understanding if and how cells exploit critical phenomena in membranes to accomplish biological functions.

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