Efficient replacement of plasma membrane outer leaflet phospholipids and sphingolipids in cells with exogenous lipids

Source abstract

Significance The use of methyl-α-cyclodextrin to fully replace endogenous sphingolipids and phospholipids in plasma membrane outer leaflets of living mammalian cells with exogenous natural and unnatural lipids is introduced in this paper. Outer leaflet lipid species were evaluated, with lipids exchanged out of the plasma membrane outer leaflet matching expected lipid asymmetry. The method will make possible a range of membrane structure/function studies.