Evaluation of lipid peroxidation by the analysis of volatile aldehydes in the headspace of synthetic membranes using Selected Ion Flow Tube Mass Spectrometry, SIFT-MS.

This study demonstrates that peroxidation of model synthetic membranes in vitro can be tracked in real time using direct quantification by SIFT-MS of several specific aldehydes in the headspace of the membrane suspensions. Cholesterol plays an important role in retaining membrane structure and can indirectly protect membranes from lipid peroxidation.