Hierarchical organization of the plasma membrane: investigations by single-molecule tracking vs. fluorescence correlation spectroscopy.
Single-molecule tracking and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) applied to the plasma membrane in living cells have allowed a number of unprecedented observations, thus fostering a new basic understanding of molecular diffusion, interaction, and signal transduction in the plasma membrane. It is becoming clear that the plasma membrane is a heterogeneous entity, containing diverse structures on nano-meso-scales (2-200 nm) with a variety of lifetimes, where certain membrane molecules stay together for limited durations. Molecular interactions occur in the time-dependent inhomogeneous two-dimensional liquid of the plasma membrane, which might be a key for plasma membrane functions.
Kusumi
Akihiro
A
Membrane Mechanisms Project, International Cooperative Research Project (ICORP), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Center for Meso-Bio Single-Molecule Imaging (CeMI), Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
Shirai
Yuki M
YM
Koyama-Honda
Ikuko
I
Suzuki
Kenichi G N
KG
Fujiwara
Takahiro K
TK
D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D021962:Membrane Microdomains / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D008954:Models, Biological; D008958:Models, Molecular; D055503:Protein Multimerization / Q000502:physiology; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods
D008563:Membrane Lipids; D008565:Membrane Proteins