Biophysical Analysis of Lipid Domains by Fluorescence Microscopy

The study of the structure and dynamics of membrane domains in vivo is a challenging task. However, major advances could be achieved through the application of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques coupled with the use of model membranes, where the relations between lipid composition and the type, amount and properties of the domains present can be quantitatively studied.This chapter provides protocols to study membrane organization and visualize membrane domains by fluorescence microscopy both in artificial membrane and living cell models of Gaucher Disease (GD ). We describe a bottom-up multiprobe methodology, which enables understanding how the specific lipid interactions established by glucosylceramide, the lipid that accumulates in GD , affect the biophysical properties of model and cell membranes, focusing on its ability to influence the formation, properties and organization of lipid raft domains. In this context, we address the preparation of (1) raft-mimicking giant unilamellar vesicles labeled with a combination of fluorophores that allow for the visualization and comprehensive characterization of those membrane domains and (2) human fibroblasts exhibiting GD phenotype to assess the biophysical properties of biological membrane in living cells using fluorescence microscopy.