Electron microscope tomography of native membranes.
Membrane proteins are often present in low amounts in cells. Their function can be modulated by interactions with other proteins. Moreover, these complexes can be transiently formed, thus making them difficult to be isolated and to be purified. One way to overcome these difficulties is to visualize these complexes in situ in the cells. For such purpose, electron microscopy coupled to tomography is a promising approach that has been developed over the last decades.Mitochondria are a good example of organelles where many membrane proteins form different functional complexes within the outer and the inner membranes. The latter is either close to the former or projects within the matrix to form cristae. Structure of these cristae involves different proteins and can vary from lamellar to tubular forms in normal mitochondria. In pathological conditions, other mitochondrial morphologies have been described, for instance, vesicular structures for inner boundary membrane have been observed.
Péranzi
Gabriel
G
INSERM U773, Centre de Recherche Biomédicale Bichat-Beaujon (CRB3), Faculté de Médecine X, Bichat, Université Paris 7, Paris, France.
Messaoudi
Cedric
C
Issop
Leeyah
L
Lacapère
Jean-Jacques
JJ
D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D055032:Electron Microscope Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure