Imaging Analysis of Intracellular Signaling Molecules

Abstract

Confocal laser scanning microscopy has played an essential role in cell biology and immunology by allowing visualization of specific intracellular signaling molecules. Especially green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion technology has enabled us to visualize essentially any protein in living cells. Here we describe the recent progress in study of nuclear signaling, degranulation, and the communication to nerve using GFP chimera proteins in mast cells. GFP chimera proteins give us a lot of useful information for studying molecular mechanisms in mast cell activation.