Effects of free sterols on the fluidity of polar lipids in rice dry embryo

Free sterols from rice dry embryo reduce the onset phase transition temperature and widen the transition range of total polar lipids and phosphatidylglycerol, which increases the membrane fluidity below their phase transition temperature and decreases the fluidity of membranes above their phase transition temperature. And 50% of free sterols result in a complete disappearance of phase transition. The fluidity of other main components of polar lipids is decreased by free sterols above 0°C. The results confirm that free sterols can modulate membrane lipid fluidity.