How Can We Isolate a Membrane?

How Can We Isolate a Membrane?

Study cells in pieces with membrane fractionation.

1. This process involves taking tissue or cells and rupturing their cell membranes using a technique called vigorous homogenization (very similar to using a mortar and pestle). This produces pieces of membrane and organelles called lysate.
2. Centrifuge to separate pieces which will settle at different rates: Nucleus first, Endoplasmic Reticulum last. Using centrifuging to separate cell parts is called differential centrifugation and it separates lysate according to mass.
3. A sucrose gradient, a gradient is created using an increasing concentration of sucrose as you move down the centrifuge tube. When the lysate is added to this tube and centrifuged, the lysate travels to the point where it's density is matched by the surrounding sucrose.