Capacitance--voltage relationship in phospholipid bilayers containing gangliosides

Changes in the position of the minimum of the parabolic capacitance--voltage curve allow the measurement of the amount of ganglioside present in artificial bilayers made with phosphatidylcholine--ganglioside mixtures and asymmetrically shielded with Ca2+. The screening effect of the ionic solution must be considered. With ganglioside/phospholipid molar ratios of up to 15%, all glycolipids can be found at the membrane surfaces.