Dember photovoltaic effect as method for structural characterization of phospholipidic membranes

Dember photovoltaic effect (Dember effect) was used to study permeability of a thin layer of lyotropic liquid crystal (dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine) at various temperatures. By photo dissociation of a photosensitive ionic dye dissolved in a lyotropic liquid crystal, an inhomogeneous distribution of charge carriers was induced in a thin liquid crystal layer. The diffusion relaxation of these charge distributions depends on the structure of lyotropic liquid crystal and show up itself in the temperature dependence of pulsed photoelectric response. The data obtained are in a good agreement with the results of dielectric measurements. In perspective, above method can be applied to examine permeability of natural and synthetic lipid vesicles (cells, exosomes, liposomes and other vesicles) relevant in medicine and to characterize the structural phase transitions in lipid membranes when modified by molecules of interest (e.g. cholesterol in liposomes to increase rigidity and stability). [Display omitted] •Phospholipid biomembranes fluidity in cells is crucial in physiological phenomena.•Phase transition can provide stability and CDR, key features of liposomes.•Phase transitions in liposomes must be studied to enhance performance and stability.•It is possible to use the Dember effect to study permeability in a thin phospholipidic layer.•It is a new methodology to study the structural features of phospholipidic membranes.