Defining the Diffusion in Model Membranes Using Line Fluorescence Recovery after Photobleaching

Abstract

In this study, we explore the use of line FRAP to detect diffusion in synthetic lipid membranes. The study of the dynamics of these membrane lipids can, however, be challenging. The diffusion in two different synthetic membranes consisting of the lipid mixtures 1:1 DOPC:DPPC and 2:2:1 DOPC:DPPC:Cholesterol was studied with line FRAP. A correlation between diffusion coefficient and temperature was found to be dependent on the morphology of the membrane. We suggest line FRAP as a promising accessible and simple technique to study diffusion in plasma membranes.

Keywords

• line FRAP
• synthetic membrane
• diffusion
• plasma membrane lipids
• microscopy