title: Visualisation of microtubules and actin filaments in fixed BY-2 suspension cells using an optimised whole mount immunolabelling protocol.
abstract: Excellent visualisation of microtubules and actin filaments was obtained in fixed tobacco BY-2 suspension cells after optimising a protocol for whole mount immunolabelling. The procedure is based on modification of fixation, cell wall digestion, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) treatment, post fixation, and blocking. The most critical aspects of successful preservation and visualization of cytoskeletal elements appeared to be: a two-step fixation with paraformaldehyde and glutaraldehyde before enzymatic cell wall digestion and a post fixation with aldehydes thereafter. The method allows the improved visualization of the organisation of the microtubular and actin filament arrays during the successive stages of cell division and at interphase. Although we present the application of our protocols for cytoskeleton labelling, the excellent results show the potential of using this method for the analysis of various proteins and molecules in plant cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Plant Cell Biology, Wageningen University, Arboretumlaan 4, 6703 BD, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szechyńska-Hebda
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wedzony
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dubas
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kieft
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Lammeren
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D008870:Microtubules / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D016707:Tissue Fixation; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide