Diffusion dynamics of glycine receptors revealed by single quantum dot tracking
Résumé
Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are nanometer-sized fluorescent probes which hold great promise for more advanced biological imaging. We used QDs to label Glycine receptors (GlyR) and analyze their lateral dynamics in the neuronal membrane. Individual GlyRs were tracked for unprecedented durations, vastly expanding the scope of single molecule measurements. We characterized multiple diffusion domains in relation to the synaptic, perisynaptic or extrasynaptic GlyR localization. The entry of GlyRs into the synapse by diffusion was observed and further confirmed by new electron microscopy imaging of QD-tagged receptors. These results demonstrate that QDs offer new prospects for the study of cell dynamics.