Determining the surface concentration and diffusivity of cell-membrane-bound molecules is central to the understanding of numerous important biochemical processes taking place at cell membranes. Here we use the high aspect ratio and lightguiding properties of semiconductor nanowires (NWs) to detect the presence of single freely diffusing proteins bound to a lipid bilayer covering the NW surface.
Damiano Verardo, Björn Agnarsson, Vladimir P. Zhdanov, Fredrik Höök, and Heiner Linke