Imaging Membrane Curvature inside a Model Immunological Synapse in RBL-2H3 Cells using TIRF Microscopy with Polarized Excitation

Abstract

AbstractTotal internal reflection fluorescence microscopy with polarized excitation (P-TIRF) can be used to image nanoscale curvature phenomena in live cells. We used P-TIRF to visualize rat basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3 cells) coming into contact with a supported lipid bilayer, modeling an immunological synapse. These studies help correlate the dynamics of cell surface molecules with the mechanical properties of the plasma membrane during synapse formation.