Structure of the Biological Membrane (Detection of the Membrane Components In Vivo)

Abstract

The ultrastructure of biological membrane is one of the hottest topics in cell biology. These organelle are involved in a variety of cellular processes such as cell adhesion, ion conductivity and cell signaling and serve as the attachment surface for several extracellular structures, including the cell wall, glycocalyx, and intracellular cytoskeleton. The aim of this chapter is to provide a brief overview about microscopical techniques which are suitable for the ultrastructural characterization of different kind of cellular membranes at the level of individual macromolecule. Important practical aspects concerning sample preparation, sources of error and common artefacts as well as recent methodological advances are discussed.