Changes in the lateral ordering of the macrophage plasma membrane during Fc receptor mediated phagocytosis

The macrophage plasma membrane was labelled with an intercalated 5-doxyl stearic acid spin probe, and structural changes induced by IgG-coated erythrocytes (EA) were followed with particular emphasis on the possible role of lipid reordering in the sequential events of phagocytosis. We present three lines of experimental evidence to show that these structural changes were induced by the lateral aggregation of cell surface Fc receptors. Cytochalasin B, an inhibitor of microfilament function, blocked this membrane reordering; if it was added after EA binding induced membrane reordering had already been detected for 15 min, a rapid reversal process was observed resulting in a reversible restoration of the initial order parameter value. We suggest that these structural changes indicate lipid-lipid lateral phase separation, in line with morphological findings.