title: Single-molecule monitoring in living cells by use of fluorescence microscopy.
abstract: Monitoring single molecules in living cells is becoming a powerful tool for study of the location, dynamics, and kinetics of individual biomolecules in real time. In recent decades, several optical imaging techniques, for example epi-fluorescence microscopy, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM), confocal microscopy, quasi-TIRFM, and single-point edge excitation subdiffraction microscopy (SPEED), have been developed, and their capability of capturing single-molecule dynamics in living cells has been demonstrated. In this review, we briefly summarize recent advances in the use of these imaging techniques for monitoring single-molecules in living cells for a better understanding of important biological processes, and discuss future developments.
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2 Zhongguancun North First Street, 100190 Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wangxi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Kangmin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Tie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D044042:Receptors, Formyl Peptide / Q000378:metabolism; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D044042:Receptors, Formyl Peptide; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta