Effect of calcium concentration on the structure of casein micelles in thin films

Biophys J. 2007 Aug 1;93(3):960-8. doi: 10.1529/biophysj.107.106385. Epub 2007 May 11.

Abstract

The structure of thin casein films prepared with spin-coating is investigated as a function of the calcium concentration. Grazing incidence small-angle x-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy are used to probe the micelle structure. For comparison, the corresponding casein solutions are investigated with dynamic light-scattering experiments. In the thin films with added calcium three types of casein structures, aggregates, micelles, and mini-micelles, are observed in coexistence with atomic force microscopy and grazing incidence small-angle x-ray scattering. With increasing calcium concentration, the size of the aggregates strongly increases, while the size of micelles slightly decreases and the size of the mini-micelles increases. This effect is explained in the framework of the particle-stabilizing properties of the hairy layer of kappa-casein surrounding the casein micelles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium / chemistry*
  • Calcium / pharmacology
  • Caseins / chemistry*
  • Caseins / drug effects
  • Caseins / isolation & purification
  • Caseins / ultrastructure
  • Light
  • Micelles
  • Microscopy
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force
  • Milk / chemistry
  • Protein Binding
  • Scattering, Radiation
  • Solutions
  • Ultrafiltration
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Caseins
  • Micelles
  • Solutions
  • Calcium