Seminar

Novel chemical probes for lipid imaging in living cells and tissues

Prof. Xabier Contreras

One of the revelations of the lipidomic revolution is that cells are able to synthesis 100.000 different lipid species that differ in structure and function. To regulate such vast amount of lipids cells use 25% of its proteome to synthesis, metabolize and transport membrane lipids. Among others, cholesterol (chol) is one of the most investigated lipids in membrane and cell biology due to its ability to control a wide range of biological functions by forming nanoscale lipid nanodomains within cellular membranes. Since its initial description nearly two decades ago, the concept of lipid nanodomains has generated as much interest as controversy. This controversy arises from the putative size of such lipid nanodomains (<200 nm) far below the diffraction limit of conventional fluorescence microscopes, which unable the direct observation of such nanostructures in the membrane of unperturbed living cells. In the seminar, he will introduce the development of novel chemical biology tools focus on resolving the abiding question of chol nanodomains existence in living cells and tracking chol distribution through deep tissues. The development of novel chemical probes opens up new avenues to unveil the impact of lipids in health and disease.