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Disorder Amidst Membrane Order: Standardizing Laurdan Generalized Polarization and Membrane Fluidity Terms

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Abstract

Membrane organization and fluidity research continues to expand and the understanding of membrane dynamics continues to be refined. Within this field of study, laurdan remains among the most popular, versatile, and established fluorescence probes. Fluorimetry and multiphoton microscopy techniques are standards for measuring laurdan fluorescence and continue to be refined. However, complications have arisen due to an amended membrane model, revised terms used for describing membrane phases, and wide variation in the selection of laurdan generalized polarization equation values. Here, in the context of the history and chemical properties of laurdan, discrepancies are highlighted and important recommendations are made to promote uniformity and ongoing progress.

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Abbreviations

LUT:

Look-up table

DOPC:

Dioleoyl phosphatidyl choline

SM:

Sphingomyelin

Lo:

Liquid ordered

Ld:

Liquid disordered

SUV:

Small unilamellar vesicle

LUV:

Large unilamellar vesicle

GUV:

Giant unilamellar vesicle

GPMV:

Giant plasma membrane vesicles

FA:

Fatty acid

GP:

Generalized polarization

PM:

Plasma membrane

RU:

Relative units

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Anthony G. Jay & James A. Hamilton

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Anthony G. Jay

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  1. Anthony G. Jay
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  2. James A. Hamilton
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Correspondence to James A. Hamilton.

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Jay, A.G., Hamilton, J.A. Disorder Amidst Membrane Order: Standardizing Laurdan Generalized Polarization and Membrane Fluidity Terms. J Fluoresc 27, 243–249 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-016-1951-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-016-1951-8

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