Cell and organelle phospholipid bilayer

The cell and organelle phospholipid bilayer is the fundamental structural component of biological membranes, consisting of two layers of amphipathic phospholipids with hydrophobic tails and hydrophilic heads (StatPearls, 2023). It serves as a semi-permeable barrier that separates the internal environment of the cell or organelle from the exterior, maintaining homeostasis and facilitating compartmentalization (Wikipedia, 2024). Beyond its structural role, the bilayer is a dynamic environment where signal transduction, molecular transport, and cell-cell interactions occur (Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2022). In therapeutics, the phospholipid bilayer is a primary target for several classes of anti-infectives, such as polyene antifungals and lipopeptide antibiotics, which disrupt membrane integrity to induce cell death (PubMed, 2021). For instance, drugs like Amphotericin B bind to specific sterols within the bilayer to form lethal pores, while others like Daptomycin cause rapid depolarization (PubChem, 2024). Additionally, the physicochemical properties of the bilayer significantly influence the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of many lipophilic drugs (Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 2020).

Other names

Biological membraneLipid bilayerPlasma membraneCytoplasmic membraneOrganelle membrane

Drugs targeting the phospholipid bilayer typically act through physical disruption, including pore formation, sequestration of essential lipids like ergosterol, or alteration of membrane tension and electrochemical gradients, leading to cell lysis or apoptosis (PubMed, 2021; PubChem, 2024).