[Fluorescent probe study of the spatial structure of membranes and lipoproteins]

A review is devoted to principles of studies in spatial structure of the model and biological membranes and lipoproteins on the basis of measuring radiationless energy transfer between fluorescent probes and from proteins to the probes. Recently the theory has been developed for energy transfer in membranes of various geometry and in lipoproteins of different size and structure. Special fluorescent probes are designed and made. The measurement procedure was tested in simulated systems and used to study a series of membranes as well as blood plasma lipoproteins of main classes. Everything above-mentioned resulted in obtaining data on the size of protein molecules in membranes and lipoproteins, proteins location relative to the lipid phase, on the surface area of the membranes (isolated and directly in a cell), association of protein molecules, state of near-protein lipid layer, membrane asymmetry, spreading of proteins on the lipoprotein surface, on the cholesterol effect on the lipid bilayer size etc.