Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 5, 2026

08:31
Measuring Membrane Lipid Turnover with the pH-sensitive Fluorescent Lipid Analog ND6
Published on: July 29, 2021
2.0K
Fluorescent mimics of cholesterol that rapidly bind surfaces of living mammalian cells
David Hymel1, Sutang Cai, Qi Sun
1The University of Kansas, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA. brpeters@ku.edu.
Abstract:
Mammalian cells acquire cholesterol, a critical membrane constituent, through multiple mechanisms. We synthesized mimics of cholesterol, fluorescent N-alkyl-3β-cholesterylamine-glutamic acids, that are rapidly incorporated into cellular plasma membranes compared with analogous cholesteryl amides, ethers, esters, carbamates, and a sitosterol analogue. This process was inhibited by ezetimibe, indicating a receptor-mediated uptake pathway.

