[Use of pyrene as a luminescence indicator of the viscosity of model and biological membranes]

Nauchnye Doki Vyss Shkoly Biol Nauki. 1987:(11):59-66.
[Article in Russian]

Abstract

The pyrene movement in a lipid bilayer has been shown to occur not only in the lateral but also transmembrane direction. Within the excited state lifetime the pyrene monomer elevates from the depth to the polar regions of the membrane and emits a luminescence photon. The excimer does not exhibit any marked transmembrane movement while luminescing from the hydrophobic regions. The luminescence quenching efficiency of monomers and excimers depends on the depth of quencher penetration into the membrane. In the lipid bilayer the pyrene luminescence is strongly quenched by molecular oxygen. The pyrene binding to membrane proteins protects it from quenching. A conclusion has been made that the carrying out estimations of membrane viscosity from pyrene luminescence require considerable correction.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Aerobiosis / drug effects
  • Anaerobiosis / drug effects
  • Animals
  • Drug Interactions
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Intracellular Membranes / drug effects*
  • Lipid Bilayers / pharmacology*
  • Luminescent Measurements*
  • Membrane Fluidity / drug effects*
  • Membranes, Artificial*
  • Mitochondria, Liver / drug effects
  • Oxygen Consumption / drug effects
  • Pyrenes / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Viscosity

Substances

  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Pyrenes
  • pyrene