Three coarse-grained molecular dynamics (MD) models are investigated with the aim of developing and analysing multi-scale methods which use MD simulations in parts of the computational domain and (less detailed) Brownian dynamics (BD) simulations in the remainder of the domain. The first MD model is formulated in one spatial dimension. It is based on elastic collisions of heavy molecules (e.g. proteins) with light point particles (e.g. water molecules). Two three-dimensional MD models are then investigated. The obtained results are applied to a simplified model of protein binding to receptors on the cellular membrane. It is shown that modern BD simulators of intracellular processes can be used in the bulk and accurately coupled with a (more detailed) MD model of protein binding which is used close to the membrane.