title: Introduction to fluorescence probing of biological membranes.
abstract: Fluorescence is one of the most powerful and commonly used tools in biophysical studies of biomembrane structure and dynamics that can be applied on different levels, from lipid monolayers and bilayers to living cells, tissues, and whole animals. Successful application of this method relies on proper design of fluorescence probes with optimized photophysical properties. These probes are efficient for studying the microscopic analogs of viscosity, polarity, and hydration, as well as the molecular order, environment relaxation, and electrostatic potentials at the sites of their location. Being smaller than the membrane width they can sense the gradients of these parameters across the membrane. We present examples of novel dyes that achieve increased spatial resolution and information content of the probe responses. In this respect, multiparametric environment-sensitive probes feature considerable promise.
authors.affiliation: Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 9 Leontovicha Street, Kiev, 01030, Ukraine, alexdem@bk.ru.
authors.forename: Alexander P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Demchenko
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duportail
authors.forename: Sule
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oncul
authors.forename: Andrey S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Klymchenko
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mély
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods*; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques; D055672:Static Electricity
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008051:Lipid Bilayers