Leaflet-specific Lipid Diffusion Revealed by Fluorescence Lifetime Correlation Analyses

Cell membranes are fluidic, and the fluidic properties give unique biological functions to the membranes. Here, we review the application of fluorescence lifetime correlation analyses to elucidate the leaflet-specific lipid diffusion in a model cell membrane supported on a glass surface. Utilization of fluorescence lifetime enables us to discriminate the signals from each leaflet of the lipid bilayer and to analyze the lipid diffusion in a leaflet-specific manner. The results showed that the lipid diffusion in a proximal leaflet facing a glass surface is sensitive to the strength of the electrostatic interaction between the lipid headgroup and the glass surface whereas that in the distal one is insensitive to it. This clearly indicates that the interleaflet coupling is negligible. Because the strength of the interleaflet coupling is highly relevant to the cooperative formation of functional domains across the bilayer, this work provides an important insight into the lipid dynamics in cell membranes.