Very Large Cooperative Phenomena on the Main Phase Transition of L-α-Dipalmitoylphosphatidic Acid During the Cooling Process

Abstract

Abstract Gel/liquid crystal phase transition of concentrated water suspension of L-α-dipalmitoylphosphatidic acid was examined by using differential scanning calorimeter. During the cooling process, very sharp exothermic curve was obtained compared with endothermic one during the heating process. This sharp peak is a good evidence of high cooperativity among alkyl chains of lipid molecules during the transition from liquid crystalline phase to gel phase.