Dynamics of Micelle Formation from Mixed Lipid Droplets

作者：Xu Rui; Wang Zi lu; Li Hua ping; He Xue hao^*

来源：Chinese Journal of Chemical Physics, 2013, 26(2): 203-210.

DOI：10.1063/1674-0068/26/02/203-210

• Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine
• Hexadecylphosphocholine
• Molecular dynamics
• Lipid droplet
• Self-assembly

Amphiphilic lipid molecules can form various micelles depending on not only their molecular composition but also their self-assembly pathway. In this work, coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations have been applied to study the micellization behaviors of mixed dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC)/hexadecylphosphocholine (HPC) droplets. By varying DPPC/HPC composition and the size of lipid droplets, various micelles such as spherical and nonspherical (oblate or prolate) vesicles, disk-like micelles, double or single ring-like and worm-like micelles were observed. It is found that the lipid droplet as an initial state favors forming vesicles and ring-like micelles due to in situ micellization. Our simulation results demonstrate that using special initial conditions combined with various molecular compositions is an effective way to tune lipid micellar structure.

• 出版日期2013-4
• 单位天津大学