Near-Field Optical Nanoscopy of Biological Membranes

Abstract

The specific organization and distribution of protein receptors and lipids on the cellular plasma membrane play a crucial role for the spatiotemporal control of many different cellular processes. A great deal of novel knowledge in this area is currently being generated thanks to the advent of modern surperresolution optical techniques combined with single-molecule approaches. In this chapter, we focus on near-field nanoscopy, a technique particularly well suited for the study of biological cell surfaces at the nanometer scale. We first describe the general concept of near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) and specifically focus on how NSOM is being exploited to map the spatiotemporal organization of proteins and lipids. Novel routes toward surperresolution using optical nanoantennas and first applications for cell membrane nanoimaging are discussed. The last part of the chapter describes recent technical breakthroughs that enable the application of NSOM in living cells providing detailed dynamic information on diffusion processes occurring at the nanoscale.