Thermotropic phase behavior of milk sphingomyelin and role of cholesterol in the formation of the liquid ordered phase examined using SR-XRD and DSC.Sphingomyelin (SM) and cholesterol are major lipid components of biological membranes involved in the formation of ordered domains.  The thermotropic phase behaviours of milk-SM and milk-SM/cholesterol mixtures were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and high flux synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (SR-XRD).  The thermotropic phase behavior of milk-SM is complex, reflecting the mixture of different molecular species. 
THERM