Lipid Composition in Miscible and Immiscible Phases

Lipids play a vital role in the architecture of cell membranes. About one third of the known cellular proteins are located in the membrane lipid and these are largely the transporters, signalers, receptors and defense systems. The fatty acid component in membranes across species and in different cell types is species, organ and sub cellular specific. In human cell types, the inner cell membrane is dominated by arachidonic acid whilst that of the photo receptor and neural synapse is strikingly rich in docosahexaenoic acid. The biophysical basis for this molecular specificity in not understood.