Eur. Phys. J. E (2013) 36: 140
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2013-13140-x

Regular Article

Ripple formation in unilamellar-supported lipid bilayer revealed by FRAPP

¹ CNRS, UMR7325, Aix-Marseille Univ., CINaM, 13288, Marseille, France
² Institut de Chimie et Biochimie Moléculaires et Supramoléculaires, Université Lyon 1, University of Lyon, ICBMS, CNRS UMR 5246, Bât. Curien, 43 bd du 11 Nov. 1918, F-69 622, Villeurbanne cedex, France

^* e-mail: tinland@cinam.univ-mrs.fr

Received: 6 September 2013
Accepted: 6 December 2013
Published online: 17 December 2013

Abstract

The mechanisms of formation and conditions of the existence of the ripple phase are fundamental thermodynamic questions with practical implications for medicine and pharmaceuticals. We reveal a new case of ripple formation occurring in unilamellar-supported bilayers in water, which results solely from the bilayer/support interaction, without using lipid mixtures or specific ions. This ripple phase is detected by FRAPP using diffusion coefficient measurements as a function of temperature: a diffusivity plateau is observed. It occurs in the same temperature range where ripple phase existence has been observed using other methods. When AFM experiments are performed in the appropriate temperature range the ripple phase is confirmed.