title: A miniaturized micro-fluorescence film balance for protein-containing lipid monolayers spread from a vesicle suspension.
abstract: In order to study protein-lipid monolayers at the air/water interface a miniaturized micro-fluorescence film-balance apparatus has been developed and combined with a modified technique of spreading and separating a monolayer from a vesicle suspension. The spreading method provides non-denaturing conditions for protein-lipids. When applied to protein-lipid vesicles, monolayers with incorporated proteins are obtained, and their thermodynamic parameters may be controlled in a well-defined way by film balance techniques. In the apparatus introduced, a movable microscope allows the observation of micro-fluorescence during the tracking of individual domains at the air/water interface of a fixed Langmuir trough. After the control of parameters such as subphase temperature, surface pressure and lateral molecule distribution, a monolayer may be transferred and immobilized on a planar solid support, making it accessible to optical surface-sensitive measuring methods as well as to electron microscopy and scanning probe techniques.
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität München, Garching, F.R.G.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Heyn
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Tillmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Egger
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gaub
mesh_terms: D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012984:Software; D013499:Surface Properties; D013535:Suspensions
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011506:Proteins; D013535:Suspensions