Influence of ABCA1 on transbilayer distribution of cholesterol in mammalian cells

胆固醇是哺乳动物细胞的主要成分，尤其是质膜(PM)。在PM中，胆固醇是基本的构建块，也是形成异质微域的关键，如脂筏，这是一个重要的信号和膜运输实体[1]。建议的NSERC计划是开发新的生物物理和显微镜/成像技术，以了解胆固醇在PM中是如何组织的未来5年的近期目标是确定PM中胆固醇跨双层的分布因此，拟议的计划将研究哺乳动物细胞中的一个基本问题，同时也是对我实验室由HSFO资助的一个非重叠研究项目的补充，该项目专注于从哺乳动物细胞中输出蛋白质介导的胆固醇。PM是胆固醇出口的主要平台。对PM胆固醇组织的深入了解将有助于我们对胆固醇出口的研究。

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.