© 2002 AAAS
In the outer leaflet (A), sphingolipids and cholesterol form less fluid microdomains (B) called lipid rafts, which are enriched for GPI-proteins. Microdomains may contain more rigid subdomains (C) enriched for the sphingolipid ganglioside GM1. The membrane inner leaflet contains microdomains (D) with unknown lipid composition enriched for prenylated proteins. In contrast, caveolin and proteins carrying the two saturated fatty acyl chains become concentrated in caveolae (F). (From G. van Meer, Science, 296: 855–7, 2002.)
Certain plasma membrane structures, such as clathrin-coated pits and caveolae, have been recognized for decades. More recently, scientists have identified other less-visible domains within the lipid bilayer, collectively termed lipid rafts. With new imaging techniques and new findings, membrane domain research has proceeded at a rate more befitting a rocket than a raft.
The Hot Papers featured herein both use green fluorescent protein (GFP) to visualize lipid rafts. Roger Tsien's group at the ...
