The plasma membrane is one of the principal structural components of the cell and, therefore, one of the key components of the cellular life. Because the membrane's dynamics links the membrane's structure and function, the complexity and the broad range of the membrane's motions are essential for the enormously diverse functionality of the cell membrane. Even for the main membrane component, the lipid bilayer, considered alone, the range and complexity of the lipid motions are remarkable. Spanning the time scale from sub-picosecond to minutes and hours, the lipid motion in a bilayer is challenging to study even when a broad array of dynamic measurement techniques is employed. Neutron scattering plays a special role among such dynamic measurement techniques, particularly, because it involves the energy transfers commensurate with the typical intra- and inter- molecular dynamics and the momentum transfers commensurate with intra- and inter-molecular distances. Thus, using neutron scattering-based techniques, the spatial and temporal information on the lipid motion can be obtained and analysed simultaneously. Protium vs. deuterium sensitivity and non-destructive character of the neutron probe add to the remarkable prowess of neutron scattering for elucidating the lipid dynamics. Herein we present an overview of the neutron scattering-based studies of lipid dynamics in model membranes, with a discussion of the direct relevance and implications to the real-life cell membranes. The latter are much more complex systems than simple model membranes, consisting of heterogeneous non-stationary domains composed of lipids, proteins, and other small molecules, such as carbohydrates. Yet many fundamental aspects of the membrane behavior and membrane interactions with other molecules can be understood from neutron scattering measurements of the model membranes. For example, such studies can provide a great deal of information on the interactions of antimicrobial compounds with the lipid matrix of a pathogen membrane, or the interactions of drug molecules with the plasma membrane. Finally, we briefly discuss the recently emerging field of neutron scattering membrane studies with a reach far beyond the model membrane systems.

质膜是细胞的主要结构成分之一，因此是细胞生命的关键成分之一。由于膜的动力学将膜的结构和功能联系在一起，因此膜运动的复杂性和广泛范围对于细胞膜的极其多样化的功能至关重要。即使对于主要的膜成分，脂质双层，单独考虑，脂质运动的范围和复杂性也是显着的。跨越从亚皮秒到分钟和小时的时间尺度，即使采用了广泛的动态测量技术，双层中的脂质运动也难以研究。中子散射在这些动态测量技术中起着特殊的作用，特别是，因为它涉及与典型的分子内和分子间动力学相称的能量转移以及与分子内和分子间距离相称的动量转移。因此，使用基于中子散射的技术，可以同时获得和分析脂质运动的空间和时间信息。氘与氘的敏感性和中子探针的非破坏性特性增加了中子散射在阐明脂质动力学方面的显着能力。在这里，我们概述了基于中子散射的模型膜脂质动力学研究，并讨论了与现实细胞膜的直接相关性和影响。后者是比简单模型膜复杂得多的系统，由脂质组成的异质非固定域组成，蛋白质和其他小分子，如碳水化合物。然而，可以从模型膜的中子散射测量中了解膜行为和膜与其他分子相互作用的许多基本方面。例如，此类研究可以提供大量关于抗微生物化合物与病原体膜脂质基质相互作用或药物分子与质膜相互作用的信息。最后，我们简要讨论了最近新兴的中子散射膜研究领域，其范围远远超出了模型膜系统。此类研究可以提供大量关于抗微生物化合物与病原体膜的脂质基质的相互作用，或药物分子与质膜的相互作用的信息。最后，我们简要讨论了最近新兴的中子散射膜研究领域，其范围远远超出了模型膜系统。此类研究可以提供大量关于抗微生物化合物与病原体膜的脂质基质的相互作用，或药物分子与质膜的相互作用的信息。最后，我们简要讨论了最近新兴的中子散射膜研究领域，其范围远远超出了模型膜系统。