Tong Pei-Hong, Wu Tong-Yuan, Li Mingle, Wang Hai-Bin, Zheng Feng, Xu Lin, Dou Wei-Tao
State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen University Shenzhen China.
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Molecule Intelligent Syntheses School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering East China Normal University Shanghai China.
Smart Mol. 2024 Dec 30;3(1):e20240059. doi: 10.1002/smo.20240059. eCollection 2025 Mar.
The cell membrane, a fluid interface composed of self-assembled phospholipid molecules, is a vital component of biological systems that maintains cellular stability and prevents the invasion of foreign toxins. Due to its inherent fluidity, the cell membrane can undergo bending, shearing, and stretching, making membrane deformation crucial in processes like cell adhesion, migration, phagocytosis, and signal transduction. Within the plasma membrane are highly ordered dynamic structures formed by lipid molecules, known as "lipid rafts," whose dynamic dissociation and reorganization are prerequisites for membrane deformation. Fluorescent probes have emerged as vital tools for studying these dynamic processes, offering a non-destructive, in situ, and real-time imaging method. By strategically designing these probes, researchers can image not only the microdomains of cell membranes but also explore more complex processes such as membrane fusion and fission. This review systematically summarizes the latest advancements in the application of fluorescent probes for cell membrane imaging. It also discusses the current challenges and provides insights into future research directions. We hope this review inspires further studies on the dynamic processes of complex cell membranes using fluorescent probes, ultimately advancing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying membrane dissociation, reorganization, fusion, and separation, and fostering research and therapeutic development for membrane-associated diseases.
细胞膜是由自组装磷脂分子构成的流体界面，是生物系统的重要组成部分，维持细胞稳定性并防止外来毒素入侵。由于其固有的流动性，细胞膜会发生弯曲、剪切和拉伸，使得膜变形在细胞黏附、迁移、吞噬作用和信号转导等过程中至关重要。在质膜内是由脂质分子形成的高度有序的动态结构，称为“脂筏”，其动态解离和重组是膜变形的先决条件。荧光探针已成为研究这些动态过程的重要工具，提供了一种非破坏性的原位实时成像方法。通过精心设计这些探针，研究人员不仅可以对细胞膜的微结构域进行成像，还可以探索更复杂的过程，如膜融合和裂变。本综述系统地总结了荧光探针在细胞膜成像应用中的最新进展。它还讨论了当前面临的挑战，并对未来的研究方向提供了见解。我们希望本综述能激发使用荧光探针进一步研究复杂细胞膜动态过程的研究，最终增进我们对膜解离、重组、融合和分离潜在机制的理解，并促进与膜相关疾病的研究和治疗发展。
