Visualization and analysis of membrane fusion mechanism during vesicular transport of transportosome by using multi-photon excitation process

膜转运蛋白的生理功能与囊泡转运密切相关。然而，包括胞吐在内的重要功能的膜融合机制仍不清楚。为了阐明分子基础，我们发展了一种新的光学显微术--双光子显微术，它是利用非线性光学，多光子激发过程实现的。通过使用双光子显微镜，我们已经建立了新的方法，使我们能够可视化活体器官内的精细结构，我们已经获得了新的重要见解胞吐的分子机制，以及膜融合的生理和病理作用。

Physiological functions of membrane transporter are supposed to be closely related to vesicular transport. However, membrane fusion mechanism underlying vital functions including exocytosis remains unclear. In order to clarify the molecular basis, we have developed a new light microscopy, two-photon microscopy, which is realized by using non-linear optics, multi-photon excitation process. By using two-photon microscopy, we have established new methods, which enable us to visualize finer structures inside a living organ, and we have obtained new important insights on molecular mechanism of exocytosis, and on physiological and pathological roles of membrane fusion.