Lateral diffusion of membrane D-galactosyl glycoconjugates of differentiating neuroblastoma cells

Neuroblastoma cells were induced to differentiate either by serum deprivation or addition of dimethylsulfoxide. Using the “fluorescence recovery after photobleaching method” (FRAP), the lateral diffusion properties of D-galactosyl glycoconjugates revealed with fluorescent labelled peanut agglutinin (PNA) was investigated. Statistical significant modifications were found on process-bearing cells only for the characteristic diffusion time. The mobile fractions of PNA binding sites were distributed about a mean value of 60%. Attempt was made to discuss the FRAP results in term of cell-to-cell variation.