title: Imaging autophagy.
abstract: Autophagy is a membrane-trafficking pathway activated to deliver cytosolic material for degradation to lysosomes through a novel membrane compartment, the autophagosome. Fluorescence microscopy is the most common method used to visualize proteins inside cells, and it is widely used in the autophagy field. To distinguish it from the cellular background, the protein of interest (POI) is either fused with a genetically encoded fluorescent protein or stained with an antibody that is conjugated to an inorganic fluorescent compound. Genetic tagging of the POI allows its visualization in live cells, while immunostaining of the POI requires the fixation of cells and the permeabilization of cell membranes. Here we describe detailed protocols on how to visualize autophagy dynamics using fluorescence microscopy in live and fixed cells. We discuss the critical parameters of each technique, their advantages, and why the robustness is increased when they are used in tandem.
authors.affiliation: Signalling Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Eleftherios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karanasios
authors.forename: Eloise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stapleton
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manifava
authors.forename: Nicholas T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Ktistakis
mesh_terms: D001343:Autophagy / Q000502:physiology*; D001693:Biological Transport, Active / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins
keywords: ULK1; autophagy; fluorescence microscopy; live-cell imaging; omegasomes