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Mobility of cell surface receptors: a re‐evaluation
Author(s) -
Cherry Richard J,
Smith Patricia R,
Morrison Ian E.G,
Fernandez Nelson
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(98)00595-x
Subject(s) - receptor , chemistry , biophysics , microbiology and biotechnology , cell , biochemistry , biology
It has long been known from fluorescence recovery after photobleaching experiments that the mobility of most cell surface receptors is much smaller than expected for free diffusion of proteins in a fluid lipid bilayer. Single‐particle tracking experiments are currently revealing the complexity of the constraints to free diffusion. Evidence has been obtained for several different processes: domain‐limited diffusion, temporary confinement and anomalous diffusion. The type of motion exhibited by a given receptor will profoundly influence the rate of any functional process which requires movement in the plane of the membrane. In particular, anomalous diffusion greatly reduces the distance travelled by a receptor on a time scale of minutes.