Probing Native CB Receptor Mobility in Plasma Membranes of Living Cells by Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching.

In this study, we employed a novel fluorescent probe, RO7304924 - which selectively targets cannabinoid 2 receptor (CBR) - to assess the lateral mobility of CBR within the plasma membrane of Chinese hamster ovary cells stably expressing a functional, untagged receptor variant. Utilizing confocal fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), we quantified the diffusion coefficient and mobile fraction of CBR, thereby demonstrating the efficacy of RO7304924 as an innovative tool for elucidating the dynamics of this major endocannabinoid-binding G protein-coupled receptor. Our present findings highlight the potential of combining advanced ligand-based fluorescent probes with FRAP for future investigations into the biochemical details of CBR mobility in living cells, and its impact on receptor-dependent cellular processes.