Visualization of the solubilization process of the plasma membrane of a living cell by waveguide evanescent field fluorescence microscopy.
Waveguide evanescent field fluorescence microscopy (WEFF) is a novel microscopy technology that allows imaging of a cell's plasma membrane in the vicinity of a glass substrate with high axial resolution, low background and little photobleaching. Time-lapse imaging can be performed to investigate changes in cell morphology in the presence or absence of chemical agents. WEFF microscopy provides a method to investigate plasma membranes of living cells and allows a comparison to simplified model membranes immobilized on planar substrates. The interaction of the nonionic detergent Triton X-100 with plasma membranes of osteoblasts in an aqueous environment was investigated. Solubilization of the membranes very close to the waveguide surface was visualized and related to the three-stage solubilisation model proposed for liposomes and supported lipid bilayers. Findings for the plasma membranes of cells are in excellent agreement with results reported for these artificial model systems.
Western University, London, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Ontario, Canada.
Abdollah
A
Hassanzadeh
Heun Kan
HK
Ma
S Jeffrey
SJ
Dixon
Silvia
S
Mittler
D000818:Animals; D041702:BALB 3T3 Cells; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D017830:Octoxynol / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000379:methods*
D017830:Octoxynol