1997 Volume 121 Issue 2 Pages 206-211
The morphology of protein-adsorbed stearic acid monolayers containing a fluorescent probe (rhodamine B octadecylester perchloride: RBO) was observed by using fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). The quenching of fluorescence of RBO was observed at the limiting area of the stearic acid monolayer. Thus, the fluorescence of RBO could be a good marker for packing of the matrix monolayer. On the other hand, the BAM image showed the morphology of not the matrix monolayer, but the adsorbed protein monolayer. Thus, the packing processes of the two could be distinguished. The present method is available for a protein that does not have visible absorption, such as bovine serum albumin (BSA). It is suggested that electrostatic interaction between matrix and protein molecules greatly affects the change in the morphology of the protein-adsorbed monolayer.
