Comments on the quantitative interpretation of biomembrane structure by Raman spectroscopy.

The possibility of quantitation of information obtained from laser Raman spectra of aqueous lipid dispersions is discussed. It is shown that the all-trans chain order parameter ST introduced by Gaber and Peticolas ((1977) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 465, 260) for the characterization of biomembrane structure is of restricted applicability. This order parameter may give adequate information if polar head groups are not affected at all by the interaction resulting in trans-gauche isomerization. To demonstrate this, data on the effects of mono- and divalent ions on the all-trans chain order parameter are given. The lateral order parameter proved to be suitable for quantitative studies even in the case of ion-head group interaction.