Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
A single-molecule approach provides considerable advantages, as it removes
the data-averaging drawback inherent in biochemical techniques that record
measurements over large ensembles of molecules. Hence, AFM is a valuable
tool to study membranes and membrane proteins down to single-molecule
level.
(b)
(a)
(c)
(d)
Figure 6.1. (a) AFM images of extracellular (a, b) and intracellular (c) faces of a
16HBE14o
cell membrane. The extracellular apical surface shows a high density of
microvilli (a) with heights up to 1 μm. Even at higher resolution, protein structures
on microvilli are hardly detectable (b). Contrarily the cytosolic face of isolated
membranes is rather lat. Figure 6.1c shows a colour-coded view of a 64 μm 2 scan
area containing large plasma membrane fragments attached to the poly--lysine-
coated glass surface. Poly--lysine-coated glass is shown in “blue”, the lipid bilayer
membrane is shown in “turquoise” and the membrane proteins are shown in “brown”.
The red line in Fig. 6.1c corresponds to the proile line in 6.1d. The section line shows
the poly--lysine-coated glass surface and the plasma membrane with a high density
of protein structures protruding from the inner surface of the plasma membrane with
heights up to 40 nm.
 
 
 
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