Physical properties of supported planar bilayers and while cells contrubuting to plarized growth and movement

允许生物有机体运作的复杂过程可以在细胞和亚细胞水平上进行研究。膜双分子层是包围细胞的脂肪层，是多种能够调节细胞功能的蛋白质的宿主。双分子层充当了分子从细胞外部进入细胞内部通道的看门人。因此，细胞膜提供了一个物理屏障，保护对细胞功能至关重要的内部环境，促进个体细胞或生物体在响应其环境时生存所需的通信。某些生物，如植物和真菌，有一个由糖聚合物组成的额外细胞壁，提供结构加固以抵抗内部膨胀压力并保持独立生长。细胞膜和细胞壁都是任何特定细胞类型具有独特化学和物理性质的界面。在各种环境中的这些接口是本提案的重点。对于细胞膜内的许多蛋白质，它们的空间组织和局部环境被认为直接影响它们的功能。此外，这些蛋白质被提出帮助驱动细胞膜组织成称为“微域”的离散包。因此，我们将研究不同的膜相关蛋白及其效应分子对细胞膜结构的影响，无论是在固体载体上还是在整个活细胞内。此外，我们将通过同时探测细胞的表面化学，地形和物理性质来表征细胞，从而使我们能够跟踪细胞对外部刺激的反应变化。我的研究工具提供了一个独特的视角，将有助于细胞功能的基础知识。最终，这项研究将有助于阐明这一界面的机制，并在详细的分子研究和临床观察之间提供联系。

The intricate processes that allow biological organisms to function can be studied at the cellular and sub-cellular level.  The membrane bilayer is the fatty layer that surrounds the cell and is host to a variety of proteins that are able to regulate cell function. The bilayer acts as the gatekeeper to the passage of molecules from the outside to the inside of the cell.  Therefore, the cell membrane provides a physical shield protecting the internal environment crucial for cellular function and facilitates communication required for the survival of an individual cell or organism in response to its environment. Certain organisms, such as plants and fungi, have an additional cell wall composed of sugar polymers that provide structural reinforcement to resist internal turgor pressure and maintain freestanding growth.  Both cell membranes and cell walls are interfaces with unique chemistry and physical properties for any given cell type. It is these interfaces in a variety of contexts that are the focus of this proposal.For the many proteins within the cell membrane, their spatial organization and local environment are thought to directly affect their function.  Further, these proteins are proposed to help drive cell membrane organization into discrete packets called "microdomains". Therefore, we will study the effect of different membrane associated proteins and their effector molecules on the structure of cell membranes either mounted on solid supports or within whole live cells. Further, we will characterize cells by simultaneously probing their surface chemistry, topography and physical properties, allowing us to track cellular changes in response to external stimuli. My research tools offer a unique perspective that will contribute to fundamental knowledge about cellular function. Eventually the research will help elucidate mechanisms at this interface and provide a link between detailed molecular studies and clinical observations.