The 'double lives' of membrane lipids

Abstract

The year 2000 marks the 75th anniversary of the existence of the bilayer model of biological membranes as originally proposed by Gorter and Grendel (1925). It also marks a period of excitement in understanding membrane lipids. Many lipids appear to lead double lives, serving both as membrane building blocks and as modulators of important cellular processes. Membrane lipid behavior is becoming understood at molecular and even atomic levels, through the application of sophisticated biophysical and computational approaches. The molecular causes of membrane lipid-based diseases are being established, and new technologies whereby membranes and their components can be manipulated are now being used in medical and industrial applications. These topics were discussed at ‘Anno 2000. A lipid milestone’, and the highlights of this discussion are summarized below.