Direct electrochemical evaluation of plasma membrane cholesterol in live mammalian cells

Cholesterol is a tightly regulated structural component of the cell plasma membrane. Dysfunctional intracellular cholesterol transport machinery causes disease states with altered plasma membrane cholesterol. This Communication reports microelectrode evaluation of plasma membrane cholesterol of single cells at physiological temperature. Electrochemical data indicate that transport of intracellular cholesterol to the plasma membrane is active in an atherosclerotic macrophage model.