We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us
LGC Clinical Diagnostics

Download Mobile App




Ganglioside Probes Enable Tracking of Membrane Lipid Rafts in Living Cells

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 26 Apr 2016
Print article
Image: The lipid raft organization, region (1) is standard lipid bilayer, while region (2) is a lipid raft (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons).
Image: The lipid raft organization, region (1) is standard lipid bilayer, while region (2) is a lipid raft (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons).
A team of Japanese cell biologists developed a series of fluorescently labeled gangliosides that enabled them to visualize cell membrane lipid raft domains in living cells.

Combinations of glycosphingolipids and protein receptors are organized in glycolipoprotein microdomains known as lipid rafts within the cellular plasma membrane. These specialized membrane microdomains compartmentalize cellular processes by serving as organizing centers for the assembly of signaling molecules, influencing membrane fluidity and membrane protein trafficking, and regulating neurotransmission and receptor trafficking. Lipid rafts are more highly ordered and tightly packed than the surrounding bilayer, but float freely in the membrane bilayer. Although more common in the plasma membrane, lipid rafts have also been reported in other parts of the cell, such as the Golgi apparatus and lysosomes.

The exact functions of lipid rafts are poorly understood, primarily because of the scarcity of suitable fluorescent ganglioside analogs to serve as tracer molecules. To correct this deficit, investigators at Kyoto University (Japan) synthesized four complete ganglioside molecules with fluorescent markers attached at specific locations. They used these tracers in a single-fluorescent-molecule living-cell imaging system.

Results published in the April 4, 2016, online edition of the journal Nature Chemical Biology revealed that in the live-cell plasma membrane there could be seen clear but transient co-localization and co-diffusion of fluorescent ganglioside analogs with a fluorescently labeled glycosylphosphatidylinisotol (GPI)-anchored protein, human CD59. The ganglioside molecules were always mobile in quiescent cells with extremely short interactions taking place that last for about 12 milliseconds for CD59 monomers, 40 milliseconds for CD59's transient homodimer rafts, and 48 milliseconds for engaged-CD59-cluster rafts, in cholesterol- and GPI-anchoring-dependent manners.

"Such dynamic behaviors were difficult to find using normal techniques, and our findings were made possible by single-molecule tracking of new fluorescent ganglioside probes," said contributing author Dr. Kenichi Suzuki, professor of membrane biology at Kyoto University. "Our findings established the concept of dynamic raft domains: their constituent molecules assemble to form raft domains, do their jobs within several tens of milliseconds, and then move away for the next assembly to perform the next task."

Related Links:
Kyoto University

Platinum Member
COVID-19 Rapid Test
OSOM COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test
HLX
Complement 3 (C3) Test
GPP-100 C3 Kit
New
Gold Member
Systemic Autoimmune Testing Assay
BioPlex 2200 ANA Screen with MDSS

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: Reaching speeds up to 6,000 RPM, this centrifuge forms the basis for a new type of inexpensive, POC biomedical test (Photo courtesy of Duke University)

POC Biomedical Test Spins Water Droplet Using Sound Waves for Cancer Detection

Exosomes, tiny cellular bioparticles carrying a specific set of proteins, lipids, and genetic materials, play a crucial role in cell communication and hold promise for non-invasive diagnostics.... Read more

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: The study showed the blood-based cancer screening test detects 83% of people with colorectal cancer with specificity of 90% (Photo courtesy of Guardant Health)

Blood Test Shows 83% Accuracy for Detecting Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second biggest cause of cancer deaths among adults in the U.S., with forecasts suggesting 53,010 people might die from it in 2024. While fewer older adults are dying from this... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The Gazelle Hb Variant Test (Photo courtesy of Hemex Health)

First Affordable and Rapid Test for Beta Thalassemia Demonstrates 99% Diagnostic Accuracy

Hemoglobin disorders rank as some of the most prevalent monogenic diseases globally. Among various hemoglobin disorders, beta thalassemia, a hereditary blood disorder, affects about 1.5% of the world's... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: The new platform is designed to perform blood-based diagnoses of nontuberculosis mycobacteria (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

New Blood Test Cuts Diagnosis Time for Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Infections from Months to Hours

Breathing in nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is a common experience for many people. These bacteria are present in water systems, soil, and dust all over the world and usually don't cause any problems.... Read more

Industry

view channel
Image: These new assays are being developed for use on the recently introduced DxI 9000 Immunoassay Analyzer (Photo courtesy of Beckman Coulter)

Beckman Coulter and Fujirebio Expand Partnership on Neurodegenerative Disease Diagnostics

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics (Brea, CA, USA) and Fujirebio Diagnostics (Tokyo, Japan) have expanded their partnership focused on the development, manufacturing and clinical adoption of neurodegenerative... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.