Influence of ABCA1 on transbilayer distribution of cholesterol in mammalian cells

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Cholesterol is a major component of mammalian cells, particularly in the plasma membrane (PM). In the PM, cholesterol is the basic building block and also essential in forming heterogeneous microdomains such as lipid raft, an entity important in signaling and membrane trafficking (1). Proposed NSERC program is to develop novel biophysical and microscopy/imaging techniques to understand how cholesterol is organized in the PM. The immediate objective for next 5-years is to determine cholesterol transbilayer distribution in the PM. As such, proposed program will study a fundamental issue in mammalian cells and, at the same time, compliment a non-overlapping research program in my laboratory funded by HSFO, which focuses on protein-mediated cholesterol export from mammalian cells. The PM is the main platform for this cholesterol export. Advance in understanding of PM cholesterol organization will facilitate our study on cholesterol export.