A living cell's ability to assemble actin filaments in intracellular motile processes is directly dependent on the availability of polymerizable actin monomers, which feed polarized filament growth [1, 2]. Continued generation of the monomer pool by filament disassembly is therefore crucial. Disassemblers like actin depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin and filament cappers like capping protein (...

Four polymerizable α-phosphonooxy phosphonic acids 7a, 7b, 9 and 16 were synthesized in seven steps. They were characterized by 1H, 13C and 31P NMR spectroscopy and by high-resolution mass spectroscopy. The copolymerization of acidic monomers 7a, 7b, 9 and 16 with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate was studied using a differential scanning calorimeter. Due to the presence of two acidic groups, those m...

This article deals with two of the major steps involved in phospholipid synthesis: the preparation of the optically pure precursors, sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (GPC) and -ethanolamine, from a convenient lipid source such as egg yolk, and acylation of hydroxyl groups present in those precursors involving an acid to yield the corresponding phospholipid. Phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethan...

Black lipid membranes (BLMs) are widely used for recording the activity of incorporated ion channel proteins. However, BLMs are inherently unstable structures that typically rupture within a few hours after formation. Here, stabilized BLMs were formed using the polymerizable lipid bis-dienoyl phosphatidylcholine (bis-DenPC) on glass pipettes of approximately 10 microm (I.D.). After polymerizati...