Cross-linking of phospholipids in human erythrocyte membrane

Abstract

Summary Treatment of human erythrocyte membranes with a short (5 A) bifunctional reagent produced only monosubtituted products of amino-phospholipids. Treatment with longer reagents (9 A and 18 A) produced 24% and 33% of cross-linked PE molecules, respectively. No cross-linked products containing PS molecules could be isolated. These data are consistent with a view that PE and PS molecules are largely located in lipoprotein complexes at the inner surface of the membrane rather than in the lipid bilayer.