Multi-user fluorescence microscope for live cell imaging

这项提议是对现有的显微镜进行升级，使研究人员和他们的学员能够实时监测细胞活动的变化。强大的新技术现在允许研究人员将荧光标签附加到单个蛋白质上。研究人员现在可以使用具有活细胞成像能力的荧光显微镜跟踪单个蛋白质在细胞中移动并与其他蛋白质和细胞膜相互作用的过程。这项技术可以应用于了解蛋白质如何相互作用或对不同的治疗作出反应，以及这些蛋白质如何单独或与其他蛋白质一起调节或改变细胞的正常功能。使用这种活细胞成像系统进行的研究将为正常细胞功能和细胞如何应对各种压力提供重要的见解。

This proposal is to acquire an upgrade to an existing microscope that will allow 9 researchers and their trainees to monitor the changes in cellular activity in real-time. Powerful new techniques now allow researchers to attach fluorescent tags to individual proteins. Researchers can now follow individual proteins as they move through cells and interact with other proteins and cellular membranes using a fluorescence microscope with live cell imaging capability. This technology can be applied to understand how proteins interact with each other or respond to different treatments, and how these proteins work alone or together with other proteins to regulate or alter the normal function of cells. Studies performed with this live cell imaging system will provide important insights into normal cellular function and how cells respond to various stresses.