Beta-1 Integrin Association with Ordered Membrane Domains is Dependent on their Activation State

Abstract

Nature's complexity in the design of cellular boundaries represent a challenge in monitoring processes that are located on or associated with the membrane. Liposomes are the method of choice when studying membrane-peptide or -protein interactions due to the good control regarding composition and the reduced number of component variables. One major drawback in their design is the symmetric architecture and the related lack of controlling different lipid compositions between inner (IL) and outer leaflet (OL). Since biological membranes are highly asymmetric, we compare different techniques for engineering lipid vesicles and point out challenges, opportunities and potential limitations: Symmetric vesicles are prepared by electroformation whereas asymmetric vesicles are generated from a double-emulsion phase.