Fluorescence Biomembrane Force Probe: Concurrent Quantitation of Receptor-ligand Kinetics and Binding-induced Intracellular Signaling on a Single Cell

J Vis Exp. 2015 Aug 4:(102):e52975. doi: 10.3791/52975.

Abstract

Membrane receptor-ligand interactions mediate many cellular functions. Binding kinetics and downstream signaling triggered by these molecular interactions are likely affected by the mechanical environment in which binding and signaling take place. A recent study demonstrated that mechanical force can regulate antigen recognition by and triggering of the T-cell receptor (TCR). This was made possible by a new technology we developed and termed fluorescence biomembrane force probe (fBFP), which combines single-molecule force spectroscopy with fluorescence microscopy. Using an ultra-soft human red blood cell as the sensitive force sensor, a high-speed camera and real-time imaging tracking techniques, the fBFP is of ~1 pN (10(-12) N), ~3 nm and ~0.5 msec in force, spatial and temporal resolution. With the fBFP, one can precisely measure single receptor-ligand binding kinetics under force regulation and simultaneously image binding-triggered intracellular calcium signaling on a single live cell. This new technology can be used to study other membrane receptor-ligand interaction and signaling in other cells under mechanical regulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • Calcium Signaling*
  • Erythrocytes / chemistry
  • Erythrocytes / metabolism
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Kinetics
  • Ligands
  • Mechanical Phenomena
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods*
  • Protein Binding
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / metabolism*
  • Single-Cell Analysis / methods*

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Ligands
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell