Dynamic, nanometre-sized, highly ordered, membrane domains enriched in sterols and sphingolipids. They contain specific sets of membrane proteins that are sorted into rafts by their specific physical properties and specific lipid-protein interactions.
Note: In functional terms, membrane rafts represent highly specialised membrane domains involved in various cellular processes, such as transmembrane transport, membrane trafficking, cell signalling, or virus assembly.
Source:
PAC, 2018, 90, 1121. 'Terminology of bioanalytical methods (IUPAC Recommendations 2018)' on page 1180 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2016-1120)