Monitoring membranes: The exploration of biological bilayers with second harmonic generation

Chem Phys Rev. 2022 Dec;3(4):041307. doi: 10.1063/5.0120888. Epub 2022 Dec 14.

Abstract

Nature's seemingly controlled chaos in heterogeneous two-dimensional cell membranes stands in stark contrast to the precise, often homogeneous, environment in an experimentalist's flask or carefully designed material system. Yet cell membranes can play a direct role, or serve as inspiration, in all fields of biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Our understanding of these ubiquitous structures continues to evolve despite over a century of study largely driven by the application of new technologies. Here, we review the insight afforded by second harmonic generation (SHG), a nonlinear optical technique. From potential measurements to adsorption and diffusion on both model and living systems, SHG complements existing techniques while presenting a large exploratory space for new discoveries.

Publication types

  • Review