Imaging the Lateral Distribution of Fluorescently Labeled Membrane Components of Human Erythrocytes Under Deformation

The human erythrocyte membrane comprises many different biological macromolecules arranged into a cohesive two dimensional structure. It has long been a model system for studying cell membrane component interactions and their related underlying cell biology. Erythrocyte membrane rigidity emanates from its hexagonal semi-solid cytoskeletal network of spectrin polymers joined at junctional complexes by globular proteins. The network supports a 2D fluid double layer of lipid in which is dissolved a large array of receptor proteins some of which completely span the lipid bilayer and link to the underlying cytoskeletal network. To study membrane component - component interactions, we have used the technique of fluorescence imaged microdeformation (1). This technique combines fluorescence labeling of specific membrane components, single cell microdeformation and state-of-the-art image collection and analysis to map the distribution of labeled components on the surface of the cell.