Interactions of divalent calcium ions with head groups of zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine liposomal membranes.

The interaction of the divalent calcium ions with the zwitterionic lipid membranes was studied by measuring the lipid order parameter which is inversely proportional to the membrane fluidity. Small unilamellar lipid vesicles were prepared from 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and then treated with different concentrations of divalent calcium ions. An increase in the order parameter and decrease in the fluidity of the liposomal membranes were observed after treatment with the calcium ions. The presence of positively charged iron oxide nanoparticles in the suspension of liposomes negligibly changed the results. The results of experiments were discussed theoretically within modified Langevin-Poisson-Boltzmann (MLPB) model leading to the conclusion that the membrane fluidity and ordering of the membrane lipids are primarily altered by the accumulation of calcium ions in the region of negatively charged phosphate groups within the head groups of the membrane lipids.