ABSTRACT
Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) are known to constitute amphiphilic macromolecules located on the surface of gram-negative bacteria. They participate in the physiological membrane functions of the bacterial organism and are essential for its growth and survival. Released from the bacterial surface or in isolated form, LPS evoke an overwhelming spectrum of biological activities when administered to animals or humans or in vitro. They play an important role in the pathogenesis and manifestation of gram-negative infection in general and of septic shock in particular. In gram-negative bacteria, the composition of the lipid matrix of the outer membrane is extremely asymmetric with respect to chemical structure and charge of the lipids. Thus, the outer leaflet is built up from LPS and the inner from a mixture of phospholipids.
