title: Life sciences require the third dimension.
abstract: Novel technologies are required for three-dimensional cell biology and biophysics. By three-dimensional we refer to experimental conditions that essentially try to avoid hard and flat surfaces and favour unconstrained sample dynamics. We believe that light-sheet-based microscopes are particularly well suited to studies of sensitive three-dimensional biological systems. The application of such instruments can be illustrated with examples from the biophysics of microtubule dynamics and three-dimensional cell cultures. Our experience leads us to suggest that three-dimensional approaches reveal new aspects of a system and enable experiments to be performed in a more physiological and hence clinically more relevant context.
authors.affiliation: EMBL Heidelberg, Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, Meyerhofstrasse 1, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pampaloni
authors.forename: Ernst Hk
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Stelzer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001690:Biological Science Disciplines; D002460:Cell Line; D004285:Dogs; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D017239:Paclitaxel