Summary
Using mouse spleen cells, before and after treatment with glutaraldehyde or mild hyperthermia, we observe a strong correlation between permeability to fluorescein and susceptibility to staining with Nɛ-dansyl-l-lysine (irrespective of the cells' ability to exclude trypan blue). We observe the same correlation using liposomes prepared from phosphatidylcholine and varying amounts of cholesterol. We have recently introduced Nɛ-dansyl-l-lysine as a fluorescent membrane stain, or “probe,” whose uptake, we propose, is selective for phospholipid domains in membranes (G.M.K. Humphries & J.P. LovejoyBiophys. J. 42:307–310, 1983; G.M.K. Humphries & J.P. LovejoyJ. Membrane Biol. 77:115–122, 1984). The results presented here are consistent with the hypothesis that the presence or absence of phospholipid domains in membranes also modifies their permeability toward fluorescein, and suggests that permeability towards other chemical species may be similarly affected. On the basis of work using liposomes, we believe this to be the case for carboxy-fluorescein and for glucose.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Braun, J., Unanue, E.R. 1980. B lymphocyte biology studied with anti-lg antibodies.Immunolog. Rev. 52:3–28
Copeland, B.R., McConnell, H.M. 1980. The rippled structure in bilayer membranes of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol.Biochim. Biophys. Acta 599:95–109
Demel, R.A., Bruckdorfer, K.R., VanDeenan, L.L.M. 1972. The effect of sterol structure on the permeability of liposomes to glucose, glycerol and Rb+.Biochim. Biophys. Acta 255:321–330
Haxby, J.A., Kinsky, C.B., Kinsky, S.C. 1968. Immune response of a liposomal model membrane.Biochemistry 61:300–307
Hui, S.W., Ho, N-B. 1983. Molecular organization in cholesterol-lecithin bilayers by X-ray and electron diffraction measurements.Biochemistry 22:1159–1164
Humphries, G.M.K., Lovejoy, J.P. 1983a. Cholesterol-free phospholipid domains may be the membrane feature selected by Nɛ-dansyl-l-lysine and merocyanine 540.Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 111:768–774
Humphries, G.M.K., Lovejoy, J.P. 1983b. Dansyl lysine: A structure-selective fluorescent membrane stain?Biophys. J. 42:307–310
Humphries, G.M.K., Lovejoy, J.P. 1984. Membrane structure and the tenuously maintained resistance to staining with Nɛ-dansyl-l-lysine shown by many cells.J. Membrane Biol. 77:115–122
Humphries, G.M.K., McConnell, H.M. 1979. Potent immunosuppression by oxidized cholesterol.J. Immunol. 122:121–126
Owicki, J.C., McDonnell, H.M. 1979. Theory of protein-lipid and protein-protein interactions in bilayer membranes.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:4750–4754
Owicki, J.C., McConnell, H.M. 1980. Lateral diffusion in inhomogeneous membranes; Model membranes containing cholesterol.Biophys. J. 30:383–398
Papahadjopoulos, D., Nir, S., Ohki, S. 1972. Permeability properties of phospholipid membranes: Effect of cholesterol and temperature.Biochim. Biophys. Acta 266:561–583
Pink, D.A., Chapman, D. 1979. Protein-lipid interactions in bilayer membranes: A lattice model.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:1542–1546
Presti, F.T., Pace, R.J., Chan, S.I. 1982. Cholesterol-phospholipid interaction in membranes. 2. Stoichiometry and molecular packing of cholesterol-rich domains.Biochemistry 21:3831–3835
Recktenwald, D.J., McConnell, H.M. 1981. Phase equilibria in binary mixtures of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol.Biochemistry 20:4505–4510
Rotman, B., Papermaster, B.W. 1966. Membrane properties of living mammalian cells as studied by enzymatic hydrolysis of fluorogenic esters.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 55:134–141
Rubenstein, J.L.R., Smith, B.A., McConnell, H.M. 1978. Lateral diffusion in binary mixtures of cholesterol and phosphatidylcholines.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 76:15–18
Schwartz, M.A., McConnell, H.M. 1978. Surface areas of lipid membranes.Biochemistry 17:837–840
Weinstein, J.N., Yoshikami, S., Henkart, P., Blumenthal, R., Hagins, W.A. 1977. Liposome-cell interaction: Transfer and intracellular release of trapped fluorescent marker.Science 195:489–491
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Humphries, G.M.K., Lovejoy, J.P. Lateral phase separation of phospholipids as a basis for increased permeability of membranes towards fluorescein and other chemical species. J. Membrain Biol. 80, 249–256 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01868443
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01868443