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Imaging Molecular Order in Cell Membranes by Polarization-Resolved Fluorescence Microscopy

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Fluorescent Methods to Study Biological Membranes

Part of the book series: Springer Series on Fluorescence ((SS FLUOR,volume 13))

Abstract

The use of light polarization properties in the analysis of fluorescence images has driven a large amount of research toward the measurement of orientational behavior of molecules in cells, in particular in their membranes. This field has been recently revisited to enlarge the possibilities of polarization-resolved fluorescence microscopy. We show that this technique allows retrieving a wealth of information on the constraints that hinder rotational mobility of lipid probes and proteins in membranes, bringing thus new insights on inter-proteins and lipid-protein interactions, on membrane morphology at the sub-diffraction length scale and on local membrane physical properties such as viscosity.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank H. Rigneault, P. Réfrégier, and J. Duboisset (Institut Fresnel, Marseille, France), as well as D. Marguet, H.T. He, and T. Trombik (Centre d’Immunologie de Marseille Luminy, Marseille, France), for helpful discussions and advices. The Institut Fresnel work mentioned in this chapter was supported by CNRS, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, the region Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut Fresnel, CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Ecole Centrale Marseille, Domaine Universitaire St Jérôme, Marseille, 13013, France

    Sophie Brasselet, Patrick Ferrand, Alla Kress, Xiao Wang, Hubert Ranchon & Alicja Gasecka

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  1. Sophie Brasselet
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  2. Patrick Ferrand
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  3. Alla Kress
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  4. Xiao Wang
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  5. Hubert Ranchon
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  6. Alicja Gasecka
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Correspondence to Sophie Brasselet .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculté de Pharmacie, Laboratoire de Biophotonique, Université de Strasbourg, route du Rhin 74, Illkirch, 67401, France

    Yves Mély

  2. Faculté de Pharmacie, Laboratoire de Biophotonique et, Université de Strasbourg, route du Rhin 74, Illkirch, 67401, France

    Guy Duportail

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Brasselet, S., Ferrand, P., Kress, A., Wang, X., Ranchon, H., Gasecka, A. (2012). Imaging Molecular Order in Cell Membranes by Polarization-Resolved Fluorescence Microscopy. In: Mély, Y., Duportail, G. (eds) Fluorescent Methods to Study Biological Membranes. Springer Series on Fluorescence, vol 13. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/4243_2012_51

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