What Is The CMC Of The Lipid?

The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of a surfactant is the concentration at which surfactant micelles form. Below this concentration, a surfactant exists as monomers in solution; at or above this concentration, surfactant micelles will be present. At concentrations below the CMC of a surfactant, surfactant molecules may bind to the hydrophobic portion of an integral membrane protein, making the protein soluble in aqueous solution, but the protein will not be dissolved in surfactant micelles. At surfactant concentrations above the CMC, integral membrane proteins will be dissolved in mixed micelles, containing protein and surfactant.