title: Two-dimensional receptor patterns in the plasma membrane of cells. A critical evaluation of their identification, origin and information content.
abstract: A concise review is presented on the nature, possible origin and functional significance of cell surface receptor patterns in the plasma membrane of lymphoid cells. A special emphasize has been laid on the available methodological approaches, their individual virtues and sources of errors. Fluorescence energy transfer is one of the oldest available means for studying non-randomized co-distribution patterns of cell surface receptors. A detailed and critical description is given on the generation of two-dimensional cell surface receptor patterns based on pair-wise energy transfer measurements. A second hierarchical-level of receptor clusters have been described by electron and scanning force microscopies after immuno-gold-labeling of distinct receptor kinds. The origin of these receptor islands at a nanometer scale and island groups at a higher hierarchical (mum) level, has been explained mostly by detergent insoluble glycolipid-enriched complexes known as rafts, or detergent insoluble glycolipids (DIGs). These rafts are the most-likely organizational forces behind at least some kind of receptor clustering [K. Simons et al., Nature 387 (1997) 569]. These models, which have great significance in trans-membrane signaling and intra-membrane and intracellular trafficking, are accentuating the necessity to revisit the Singer-Nicolson fluid mosaic membrane model and substitute the free protein diffusion with a restricted diffusion concept [S.J. Singer et al., Science 175 (1972) 720].
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, University Medical School, University of Debrecen, 4012 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Damjanovich
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bene
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matkó
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mátyus
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Krasznai
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pieri
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gáspár
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szöllösi