Rotational Diffusion Of Membrane Proteins Measured By Time-Resolved Phosphorescence Depolarization

Abstract

Much attention is paid in the recent years to the mobility properties of the components of cell surface membranes, especially specific receptors and antigens, since the description of the dynamic behavior of these macromolecules is necessary for the understanding of the mechanism of signal transduction through the biological membranes. The use of time-resolved optical methods for studying the rotational and lateral diffusional movements of membrane proteins was a subject for a number of reviews. This work provides a brief account of the use of time-resolved phosphorescence anisotropy decay measurements for studying the rotational dynamics of the integral membrane proteins on the surface of living cells.