Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

17.5K
Membrane fluidity is explained by the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, which describes the plasma membrane structure as a mosaic of components—including phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates—that gives the membrane a fluid character.
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is...
17.5K
Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

178.5K
Cell membranes are composed of phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates loosely attached to one another through chemical interactions. Molecules are generally able to move about in the plane of the membrane, giving the membrane its flexible nature called fluidity. Two other features of the membrane contribute to membrane fluidity: the chemical structure of the phospholipids and the presence of cholesterol in the membrane.
178.5K
Fluid Mosaic Model01:19

Fluid Mosaic Model

19.2K
Scientists identified the plasma membrane in the 1890s and its principal chemical components (lipids and proteins) by 1915. The model for plasma membrane structure, proposed in 1935 by Hugh Davson and James Danielli, was the first model to be widely accepted in the scientific community. The model was based on the plasma membrane's "railroad track" appearance in early electron micrographs. Davson and Danielli theorized that the plasma membrane's structure resembled a sandwich...
19.2K
Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer01:35

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

10.8K
Biological membranes show uneven distribution of different types of lipids in the inner and outer layers, resulting in transverse asymmetric membranes. The treatment of the erythrocyte membrane with the enzyme phospholipase confirmed the asymmetric nature of the lipid bilayer. The enzyme hydrolyzes lipids into fatty acids and hydrophilic groups. The phospholipase acts only on the outer layer of the membrane, while the inner layer remains intact. The phospholipase treatment resulted in 80%...
10.8K
Mechanisms of Membrane-bending01:15

Mechanisms of Membrane-bending

3.6K
The living membranes are flexible due to their fluid mosaic nature; however, their bending into different shapes is an active process regulated by specific lipids and proteins. The membrane bending can be transient as seen in vesicles or stable for a long time as in microvilli. Cells regulate the size, location, and duration of the membrane curvature.
Membrane bending can happen due to intrinsic changes in lipid composition or extrinsic association with different proteins. The proteins involved...
3.6K
Membrane Asymmetry Regulating Transporters01:19

Membrane Asymmetry Regulating Transporters

7.8K
Enzymes like flippase, floppase, and scramblase transfer phospholipids from one layer to another in the membrane, thereby affecting membrane asymmetry.
Flippase
Eukaryotic flippases are type-IV P-type ATPases or P4-ATPases belonging to P-type ATPase family proteins that are membrane-bound pumps involved in the ATP-mediated transport of ions and molecules across the membrane. Flippases flip specific phospholipids from the outer to the inner leaflet of a membrane. All P4-ATPases have one...
7.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Resolving fluorescently labeled species using highly multiplexed spectral FLIM.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

Targeting secreted PLA<sub>2</sub> interactions with EGFR and vimentin to arrest prostate tumour growth.

Cell death & disease·2025
Same author

ESPRESSO: spatiotemporal omics based on organelle phenotyping.

Nature methods·2025
Same author

Highly multiplexed spectral FLIM via physics informed data analysis.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Exploiting the detector distance information in image scanning microscopy by phasor-based SPLIT-ISM.

Biomedical optics express·2025
Same author

Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Detects Long-Lifetime Signal Associated with Reduced Pyocyanin at the Surface of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> Biofilms and in Cross-Feeding Conditions.

ACS infectious diseases·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 18, 2026

Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy as a Unique Probe for Lipid Membrane Dynamics and Membrane-Protein Interactions
10:02

Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy as a Unique Probe for Lipid Membrane Dynamics and Membrane-Protein Interactions

Published on: May 27, 2021

4.6K

Assessment of Membrane Fluidity Fluctuations during Cellular Development Reveals Time and Cell Type Specificity.

Pakiza Noutsi1, Enrico Gratton2, Sahraoui Chaieb1,3

  • 1Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Engineering, Thuwal, KSA.

Plos One
|July 1, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Cell membrane fluidity changes during cellular development. This study monitored four cell lines using generalized polarization (GP) and two-photon microscopy, revealing distinct fluidity alterations over time, particularly in neurons.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Advancing Cell Membrane Biophysics - Exploring Interactions and Challenges Through Experimental and Computational Approaches
07:31

Author Spotlight: Advancing Cell Membrane Biophysics - Exploring Interactions and Challenges Through Experimental and Computational Approaches

Published on: September 1, 2023

3.4K
Spot Variation Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy for Analysis of Molecular Diffusion at the Plasma Membrane of Living Cells
05:56

Spot Variation Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy for Analysis of Molecular Diffusion at the Plasma Membrane of Living Cells

Published on: November 12, 2020

3.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 18, 2026

Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy as a Unique Probe for Lipid Membrane Dynamics and Membrane-Protein Interactions
10:02

Neutron Spin Echo Spectroscopy as a Unique Probe for Lipid Membrane Dynamics and Membrane-Protein Interactions

Published on: May 27, 2021

4.6K
Author Spotlight: Advancing Cell Membrane Biophysics - Exploring Interactions and Challenges Through Experimental and Computational Approaches
07:31

Author Spotlight: Advancing Cell Membrane Biophysics - Exploring Interactions and Challenges Through Experimental and Computational Approaches

Published on: September 1, 2023

3.4K
Spot Variation Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy for Analysis of Molecular Diffusion at the Plasma Membrane of Living Cells
05:56

Spot Variation Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy for Analysis of Molecular Diffusion at the Plasma Membrane of Living Cells

Published on: November 12, 2020

3.3K

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Cell membranes comprise lipids and proteins, exhibiting lateral diffusion that defines membrane fluidity.
  • Cellular differentiation, including neuronal development, involves significant changes in membrane fluidity, influenced by proteins like ARC and Cofilin.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify changes in cell membrane fluidity over time in different cell lines during development.
  • To investigate the correlation between membrane fluidity and cellular differentiation, especially in neurons.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized generalized polarization (GP) of the fluorescent probe Laurdan.
  • Employed two-photon microscopy to measure membrane fluidity.
  • Monitored four cell lines (hN2, NIH3T3, HEK293, L6) at 12, 72, and 92 hours.

Main Results:

  • Significant changes in membrane fluidity were observed across all cell types and time points.
  • hN2 cells showed increased GP (decreased fluidity) by 92h; NIH3T3 by 72h; HEK293 by 92h.
  • L6 cells exhibited decreased fluidity at 72h, followed by an increase at 92h. Neurons (hN2) displayed highest fluidity early on.

Conclusions:

  • Membrane fluidity undergoes dynamic alterations during the differentiation of various cell lines.
  • Neuronal differentiation is characterized by high initial membrane fluidity, essential for plasticity.
  • The study highlights the role of membrane fluidity in cellular development and differentiation processes.