A new analysis method for the membrane viscosity from steady-state fluorescence depolarization

Issue title: 25th Anniversary Volume. Perspectives in Biorheology II. Festschrift for Syoten Oka

Guest editors: Eiichi Fukada and Takehiko Azuma

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Araiso, T. | Koyama, T.

Affiliations: Section of Physiology, Research Institute of Applied Electricity, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060, Japan

Abstract: The absolute value of the viscosity in membrane lipid bilayers, which is different from the microviscosity advocated by Shinitzky, could be calculated from steady-state fluorescence depolarization of a hydrocarbon fluorophore, 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH). This method was based on the theory of time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy and empirical relationships between fluorescence life time and the anisotropy parameters such as half cone angle in wobbling motion and wobbling diffusion rate of the fluorescent probe. Obtained viscosity values of various membranes from this method were consistent with those from time resolved method within experimental error.

Keywords: membrane fluidity, fluorescence anisotropy, wobbling motion of phospholipid

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1988-251-234

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 25, no. 1-2, pp. 253-259, 1988