Fluorescence polarization as a tool to pinpoint vesicle thermal phase transitions

Fluorescence polarization (FP) can be used as a tool by chemistry students for pinpointing vesicle thermal phase transitions. The students are first exposed to both organized media and emission polarization phenomena. They then determine the gel-to-liquid transition temperature in L-alpha-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) model bilayer systems based on static FP or a lipid-related bound fluorescent marker.