Critical Micelle Concentrations (CMCs)

DEFINITION

The critical micelle concentration (CMC) can be approximately defined as the lipid monomer concentration at which appreciable amounts (>5% of total) of micellar aggregates first begin to appear in the equilibrium: nM1<=>Mn

CMC VALUES

LipidCMC (mM)
5:0 PC90
6:0 PC15
7:0 PC1.4
8:0 PC0.27
9:0 PC0.029
10:0 PC0.005
12:0 PC90 nM
14:0 PC6 nM
16:0 PC0.46 nM
8:0 PG1.21
10:0 PG0.42
12:0 PG0.13
14:0 PG0.011
4:0 PS (5mM Ca2+)†4
5:0 PS (5mM Ca2+)†2
6:0 PS (5mM Ca2+)†1.2
7:0 PS (5mM Ca2+)†0.8
8:0 PS (5mM Ca2+)†0.4
8:0 PS2.282
10:0 PS0.096
8:0 Lyso PC60
10:0 Lyso PC6-8
12:0 Lyso PC0.4-0.9
14:0 Lyso PC0.043-0.090
16:0 Lyso PC4-8.3 µM
18:0 Lyso PC0.4 µM

† Data provided by Dr. Rinku Majumder, Department of Biochemistry, The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

LIPID ACRONYMS KEY

PC = phosphatidylcholine PG = phosphatidylglycerol PS = phosphatidylserine

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CMC’s were determined in house by using a Pyrene Fluorescence technique or were obtained from the literature. Many of the literature values were confirmed by our in-house method.

The method is generally outlined by: Fluorescent Probes For Critical Micelle Concentration

REFERENCES

  • Handbook of Lipid Bilayers by Derek Marsh. ISBN 0849332559. CRC Press, Inc.