DNA Polyfluorophores for Real-Time Multicolor Tracking of Dynamic Biological Systems

摘要

It is becoming widely appreciated that complex biological networks and interaction events need to be understood not only in the three spatial dimensions but also in the fourth dimension, time. To address this need, fluorescence imaging with light microscopy has entered a dynamic era. A series of time-lapsed images or an aggregated video of a dynamic event imparts much more information than a single still image, better revealing the natural organization and flow of biological processes. The widespread apphcation of fluorescent proteins, quantum dots, and small-molecule fluoro-phores in time-lapsed imaging, along with state-of-the-art optical technologies, such as super-resolution microscopy, and integrated systems, such as intravital microscopy, have aided enormous advances in understanding cellular and organismal biology. Tracking the movements of molecular and cellular targets has helped reveal processes such as metastasis, secretory pathway cargo transfer, and many more. The timeframe of the studied events can vary from hours to minutes, or even seconds.