Abstract

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is best known for its use in cryoprotection of biological cells and as a co-solvent in molecular formulations. In our study we investigate how DMSO affects the stability of two very different macromolecular aggregates: one represented by multilamellar lipid bilayers and the other by fibrin networks. Although chemically different, both macromolecular structures are influenced by interactions at the water interface which in turn depend on the presence of perturbants such as DMSO. We use x-ray scattering as well as confocal and differential interference microscopy to characterize structural changes in multilamellar lipid bilayers and in fibrin networks. We find that although DMSO effects have similarities to the osmotic action of standard osmolytes such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), chemical specificity also play a significant role.

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