Fluorescent lipids: functional parts of fusogenic liposomes and tools for cell membrane labeling and visualization.

ABSTRACT: In this paper a rapid and highly efficient method for controlled incorporation of fluorescent lipids into living mammalian cells is introduced. Here, the fluorescent molecules have two consecutive functions: First, they trigger rapid membrane fusion between cellular plasma membranes and the lipid bilayers of their carrier particles, so called fusogenic liposomes, and second, after insertion into cellular membranes these molecules enable fluorescence imaging of cell membranes and membrane traffic processes. We tested the fluorescent derivatives of the following essential membrane lipids for membrane fusion: Ceramide, sphingomyelin, phosphocholine, phosphatidylinositol-bisphosphate, ganglioside, cholesterol, and cholesteryl ester. Our results show that all probed lipids could more efficientl

SUBMITTER: Kleusch C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6268766 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature