Imaging plasma membrane phase behaviour in live cells using a thiophene-based molecular rotor

Chem Commun (Camb). 2016 Nov 3;52(90):13269-13272. doi: 10.1039/c6cc05954f.

Abstract

Molecular rotors have emerged as versatile probes of microscopic viscosity in lipid bilayers, although it has proved difficult to find probes that stain both phases equally in phase-separated bilayers. Here, we investigate the use of a membrane-targeting viscosity-sensitive fluorophore based on a thiophene moiety with equal affinity for ordered and disordered lipid domains to probe ordering and viscosity within artificial lipid bilayers and live cell plasma membranes.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line
  • Cell Membrane / chemistry*
  • Cell Survival
  • Humans
  • Lipid Bilayers / chemistry
  • Mechanical Phenomena
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Molecular Imaging*
  • Thiophenes / chemistry*

Substances

  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Thiophenes