The dynamics of the biological membrane surrounding the buffalo milk fat globule investigated as a function of temperature.
The biological membrane surrounding fat globules in milk (the MFGM) is poorly understood, despite its importance in digestion and in determining the properties of fat globules. In this study, in situ structural investigations of buffalo MFGM were performed as a function of temperature (4-60°C), using confocal microscopy. We demonstrate that temperature and rate of temperature change affected the lipid domains formed in the MFGM with the lateral segregation (i) of high Tm lipids and cholesterol in a Lo phase for both T<Tm and T>Tm and (ii) of high Tm lipids in a gel phase for T<Tm. Rapid cooling favours nucleation, while slow cooling favours growth, leading to the formation of small and large lipid domains, respectively. Changes in the interfacial properties of the MFGM, as a function of temperature, could modulate the functions of fat globules during processing and digestion.
['Nguyen|Hanh T H|HTH|', 'Madec|Marie-Noëlle|MN|', 'Ong|Lydia|L|', 'Kentish|Sandra E|SE|', 'Gras|Sally L|SL|', 'Lopez|Christelle|C|']
D000818:Animals D002020:Buffaloes D002784:Cholesterol D005511:Food Handling D006017:Glycolipids D006023:Glycoproteins D066292:Lipid Droplets D008892:Milk D044367:Phase Transition D013696:Temperature
Lipid domain Confocal laser scanning microscopy Lipid phase separation Microstructure variations Milk fat globule membrane Sphingomyelin