Concanavalin A stimulation modifies the lipid and protein structure or rabbit thymocyte plasma membranes. A laser raman study.

(1) We have compared the laser Raman spectra of isolated plasma membranes from resting rabbit thymocytes and cells mitogenically stimulated with concanavalin A. (2) Major alterations in the CH stretching, CH deformation and CC stretching regions indicate a different lipid architecture in the membranes from activated cells. (3) Spectral changes in the Amide I and II regions, by reference to the spectra of model compounds indicate greater protein amidation in the membranes from stimulated cells.