Work

A Critical and Comparative Review of Fluorescent Tools for Live-Cell Imaging

Year: 2016

Type: review

Abstract: Fluorescent tools have revolutionized our ability to probe biological dynamics, particularly at the cellular level. Fluorescent sensors have been developed on several platforms, utilizing either small-molecule dyes or fluorescent proteins, to monitor proteins, RNA, DNA, small molecules, and even cellular properties, such as pH and membrane potential. We briefly summarize the impressive history of tool development for these various applications and then discuss the most recent noteworthy developments in more detail. Particular emphasis is placed on tools suitable for single-cell analysis and especially live-cell imaging applications. Finally, we discuss prominent areas of need in future fluorescent tool development-specifically, advancing our capability to analyze and integrate the plethora of high-content data generated by fluorescence imaging.

Source: Annual Review of Physiology

DOI: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-022516-034055

Authors: Elizabeth A. Specht, Esther Braselmann, Amy E. Palmer

Institution: University of Colorado Boulder

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques

Subfield: Biophysics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Awards: Genetically Encoded Sensors Shed Light on Zinc Homeostasis, Regulation of Cell Signaling by Transition Metal Dynamics, RNA tools for probing spliceosome dynamics