Do Lipid Rafts Organize the Phospholipid Bilayer?

💡 The Answer

• Lipid rafts are cholesterol and sphingolipid-rich microdomains that float within the bilayer.
• They concentrate signaling proteins like GPI-anchored proteins and receptor tyrosine kinases.
• These rafts are more ordered and thicker than the surrounding bilayer, enhancing signaling efficiency.
• Disruption of lipid rafts impairs immune responses and viral entry, such as HIV and influenza.