Electrochemical analysis of phase behavior of solid-supported lipid films. Influence of cholesterol

Diverse techniques of electroanalytical chemistry have already earned the reputation of dependable tools for research of biomembranes and lipid model systems. Among them, Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) seems to be one of the most promising with respect to interface studies. Here we have made an attempt to use EIS for evaluation of the effect of cholesterol on the phase behavior of supported liquid films of lecithin. Our results showed that cholesterol promoted tight packing of lipid molecules in the different regions of the film. These findings are in consonance with the widely accepted condensing role of cholesterol in lipid membranes.