The Langmuir Monolayer Technique is used to study surface chemistry and can be used to model the cell membrane of a eukaryotic cell. Liposomes can also be used as a model due to the lipid bilayer that is produced allowing for the interpretation of how particles interact with the hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions of the membrane through analysis by fluorescence. Nanoparticles of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide will be introduced to monolayers of lipids containing cholesterol and lignoceric acid and also to liposomes to investigate how metals interact within the cell membrane in order to ultimately determine if the particles in over the counter beauty products embed our skin. The compression isotherms of four lipids, cholesterol, cholesterol sulfate, lignoceric acid, and N-oleoyl-d-sphingosine, that are major components of the epithelial cell membrane have already been established at body temperature conditions in order to interpret how the lipid behaves in the skin. Liposomes are being used as a technique to study the bilayer due to the ability to analyze them via fluorescence spectroscopy. A fluorescent lipid is introduced to the lipid or lipids that are being studied and the liposomes are then tested using a fluorimeter that allows for a graphical display of the excitation and emission in order to determine if the incorporation of the titanium oxide or zinc oxide causes fluidity in the membrane. Preliminary results show that the addition of cholesterol to lignoceric acid fluidizes the membrane. We hope to show that the addition of the titanium dioxide and zinc oxide will increase the fluidity of our membrane system utilized for modeling epithelial cells.

Designing a model cell membrane to investigate the absorption of nanoparticles in our skin

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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