What do membranes really look like? New approaches to 3D multiplexed imaging of the cell surface

定位于细胞表面膜的蛋白质在正常和病变细胞生物学中起着关键作用，并且是绝大多数现有药物治疗的靶标。为了在分子水平上理解这些蛋白质，迫切需要在纳米分辨率和三维（3D）的细胞表面上对它们的分布进行空间测绘。我们建议使用新型超分辨率显微镜和荧光标记相结合的方法来研究脂肪细胞表面转运蛋白的排列。因此，这项工作将成为学术界和大型制药公司广泛适用和感兴趣的新型成像方法的范例。我们的提案将EPSRC生物物理学和化学生物学的战略主题联系起来，并将开发支持生命和医学科学许多方面的平台技术。

Proteins localised to the surface membranes of cells play key roles in normal and diseased cell biology and are the targets for the vast majority of existing pharmacological treatments. To understand these proteins on the molecular level, spatial mapping of their distribution on the surface of cells at nanometre resolution and in three dimensions (3D) is urgently required. We propose to use a combination of novel super-resolution microscopy and fluorescent labels to study the arrangement of transport proteins on the surface of fat cells. This work will thus act as a paradigm for a novel imaging approach of wide applicability and interest to academics and Big Pharma alike. Our proposal links the strategic EPSRC themes of Biophysics and Chemical Biology and will develop enabling platform technologies that will underpin many facets of life and medical sciences.