Adsorption and transport of charged vs. neutral hydrophobic molecules at the membrane of murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells

- Cationic MG, but not neutral BCP, adsorbs onto the outer membrane of MEL cells.
- MG+ adsorption driven by electrostatic interactions with anionic sialic acid groups.
- Surface density of sialic acid is largely preserved following MEL differentiation.
- Unlike bacteria and synthetic liposomes, MG+ is unable to cross the MEL membrane.