Some aspects of the phase behaviour of charged lipids

Based on their swelling in H2O lipids forming smectic phases may be grouped into two classes: (i) uncharged or isoelectric lipids which show no or limited swelling in H2O (the thickness of the water layer is less than or equal to 25 Å); (ii) lipids with a net charge, which show continuous swelling. Up to a certain threshold concentration all the water is intercalated between the lipid bilayers: there is a single lamellar, swelling phase. Above...