Does cholesterol preferentially pack in lipid domains with saturated sphingomyelin over phosphatidylcholine? A comprehensive monolayer study combined with grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and Brewster angle microscopy experiments

► Molecular organization of phospholipid/cholesterol monolayers. ► The formation of ordered domains in model phospholipid/cholesterol membranes. ► Cholesterol affects the morphology and molecular packing of phospholipid films. ► Cholesterol packs similarly with saturated phosphocholine and sphingomyelin. ► Domains composition is independent of sterol concentration in the mixed monolayer.