ABSTRACT
Nuclear magnetic resonance studies have been increasingly used to study membrane systems. Many of the experimental approaches that have been used to give information on membrane structure give static information. Spectroscopic approaches have the potential to give the dynamic information. The information obtainable from Electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) studies depends in large part on the specific location of the introduced spin probe. Spin-labeled analogs of fatty acids and steroids have been used to give information concerning their own environment in lipid bilayers and in “native” membranes. ESR studies have been used to give information on the mobility of membrane lipids and on the interaction of membrane proteins with membrane lipids. ESR has been used to indicate mobility changes in membrane lipids as a result of protein binding, changes in lipid content, or in various abnormalities compared to normal behavior of membrane lipids.
