Determination of interbilayer and transbilayer lipid transfers by time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering.

We applied a time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering technique to the vesicle system of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine for the first time to determine lipid kinetics. The observed kinetics could be explicitly represented by a simple model that includes two independent kinetic parameters, i.e., the rates of transbilayer and interbilayer exchange. This technique is perfectly suited for the determination of lipid exchange kinetics in equilibrium and applicable to evaluation of the activity of the factors relevant to lipid migration, such as translocase and lipid transfer proteins.