Fluorescence microscopy of molecular organization and dynamics in cultured cells

Over the past ten years various technical advances have allowed the direct study of molecular activities in cultured cells under a fluorescence microscope. Fluorescent probes are well known for their high sensitivity, specificity and amenability to various spectroscopic analyses. When used in conjunction with low-light-level detectors and image processing computers, high resolution images of weak signals from single cells can be successfully acquired. In addition, the availability of digitized images has greatly facilitated the extraction of photometric and morphometric information.We use Zeiss inverted microscopes equipped with epi-illuminators and Dage-MTI ISIT video cameras or Photometrics cooled CCD cameras. Custom incubator systems built on the microscope stages allow the maintenance of live cells for up to several days. The signals are processed with image processing systems (Imaging Technologies) interfaced with graphics workstations (Silicon Graphics, Model 3130 or 4D/20) or personal computers (386/33). All images are acquired by frame averaging/signal integration, followed by subtraction of the dark noise, and storage as computer files. A variation of this simple processing strategy has allowed the detection of extremely weak signals that are essentially invisible on unprocessed ISIT images. Computer programs are then used to display sequences or images as motion pictures, to measure the linear dimension and angular orientation, and to integrate intensities over defined areas.