Single molecule studies of molecular diffusion in cellular membranes: Determining membrane structure

Since the advent of single particle/molecule microscopies, researchers have applied these techniques to understanding the fluid membranes of cells. By observing diffusion of membrane proteins and lipids in live cell membranes of eukaryotic cells, it has been found that membranes contain a mosaic of fluid compartments. Such structure may be instrumental in undestanding key characteristics of the membrane. Recent single molecule observations on prokaryotic cell membranes will also be discussed. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.