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Diffusion of Small Non-Electrolytes across Liposome Membranes

Abstract

Lieb and Stein1 proposed recently that biological membranes behave as a homogeneous polymer network (such as rubber) with respect to the diffusion of small molecular weight non-electrolytes. In the light of accumulating evidence that substantial areas of most cell or cell organelle membranes are composed of a bimolecular sheet of phospholipids or other lipids, we have tested the hypothesis using a model system with structure and composition which are simple and well defined.

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COHEN, B., BANGHAM, A. Diffusion of Small Non-Electrolytes across Liposome Membranes. Nature 236, 173–174 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/236173a0

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