Münster 1999 – scientific programme

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CP: Chemische Physik

CP 30: Poster: Biologische Systeme

CP 30.1: Poster

Monday, March 22, 1999, 18:00–20:00, R52/R72

Diffusion of Single Lipid Molecules in Cell Membranes — •G.J. Schütz, H. Schindler, and Th. Schmidt — Institute for Biophysics, University of Linz, 4040 Linz, Austria

The lateral heterogeneity in the distribution of lipids and proteins within the plasma-membrane of a biological cell is mediated by dynamical arrangements of the constituents in combination with immobilization to confined areas. While protein mobility in cells on submicron length scales is widely studied using Single-Particle-Tracking experiments, the diffusional behavior of lipids is largely unknown. We present here first studies on the lateral mobility of individual lipid molecules within the membrane of biological cells in vivo on submicron length scales using Single-Molecule-Optical-Microscopy. Clear deviations from free Brownian motion are observed and interpreted in terms of the model of corralled diffusion.

Supported by the Austrian Research Fonds, Project P12803-MED.