Limited slowdown of endocrine-disruptor diffusion in confined fluid lipid membranes

Self-diffusion rates of lipids and trapped bisphenol A (BPA) are determined in various sizes of confined but fluid membranes by high-field-gradient NMR at 600 MHz. Micelles and vesicles of 3- to 400-nm diameters are used as model membranes to get an insight into the molecular diffusion in such soft environments. The slowdown of BPA and lipid motions is leveled off in 100- and 400-nm vesicles, although the hydrodynamic continuum model gives the aggregate motion slowed inversely to the aggregate size. Instead, the limited motion is related to the intra-membrane fluidity.