The coexistence of lipid domains with different degrees of lipid packing in the plasma membrane of mammalian cells has been postulated, but direct evidence has so far been challenging to obtain because of the small size and short lifetime of these domains in live cells. Here, we use fluorescence spectral correlation spectroscopy in conjunction with a probe sensitive to the membrane environment to quantify spectral fluctuations associated with dynamics of membrane domains in live cells. With this method, we show that membrane domains are present in live COS-7 cells and have a lifetime lower bound of 5.90 and 14.69 ms for the ordered and disordered phases, respectively. Comparisons to simulations indicate that the underlying mechanism of these fluctuations is complex but qualitatively described by a combination of dye diffusion between membrane domains as well as the motion of domains within the membrane.
- MeSH
- benzoxaziny chemie MeSH
- buněčná membrána chemie MeSH
- Cercopithecus aethiops MeSH
- COS buňky MeSH
- fluorescenční spektrometrie MeSH
- kvartérní amoniové sloučeniny chemie MeSH
- membránové lipidy chemie MeSH
- viabilita buněk MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
