micelles
Sign in to savethumb|250px|right|Cross-section view of the structures that can be formed by phospholipids in aqueous solutions (unlike this illustration, micelles are usually formed by single-chain lipids, since it is difficult to fit two chains into this shape) thumb|250px|right|Scheme of a micelle formed by phospholipids in an [[aqueous solution]]
Article
12 sectionsContents
- History
- Solvation
- Energy of formation
- Micelle packing parameter
- Block copolymer micelles
- Dynamic micelles
- Kinetically frozen micelles
- Inverse/reverse micelles
- Supermicelles
- Uses
- See also
- References
thumb|250px|right|Cross-section view of the structures that can be formed by phospholipids in aqueous solutions (unlike this illustration, micelles are usually formed by single-chain lipids, since it is difficult to fit two chains into this shape) thumb|250px|right|Scheme of a micelle formed by phospholipids in an [[aqueous solution]]
A micelle (; also spelled micell) or micella () ( or micellae, respectively) is an aggregate (or supramolecular assembly) of surfactant amphipathic lipid molecules dispersed in a liquid, forming a colloidal suspension (also known as associated colloidal system). A typical micelle in water forms an aggregate, with the hydrophilic "head" regions in contact with surrounding solvent, sequestering the hydrophobic single-tail regions in the micelle centre.