title: DiO-C(18)-(3) Mediated Cell Fusion.
abstract: DiO, a fluorescent membrane probe, induced the rapid fusion of human erythrocytes and also mediated the fusion of mouse L-929 cells (fibroblastoma) in isotonic buffer (pH7.4) at room temperature. The fusion was independent of external Ca(2+) activating cysteine proteinase. PMSF, an inhibitor of serine proteinase, had no stopping effect on the fusion. The fluorescent cell images showed the existence of binding sites characteristic of high local concentration of DiO on the cell surface. Fluorescent filaments protruding from the cells and fused pairs were also recorded. These observations may have implication for a mechanism which promotes the protrusions of plasma membrane in the course of cell fusion. Based on the membrane electrostatics an the stress of the removal of water between bilayers, we infer that microregions of shared phospholipid bilayer may be formed at the distal ends of the protrusions when they are formed together as a consequence of the local dehydration action of the fusogen.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Image Analysis, Research Center of Analysis Measurement, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Zhi
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jiong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang