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Microtubule Gel

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Hydrogels of Cytoskeletal Proteins

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Abstract

MT gel is obtained by simply cross-linking MTs [1]. This design is to utilize the intrinsic unique nature of MTs in a form of hydrogel. Protocols to prepare the MT gels are also harnessing the unique property of MT polymerization and depolymerization. Expecting that this introduction help readers to prepare customized MT gels with modifications in the method, the protocols will be introduced from basics. Here, we describe about tubulin purification, the cross-linking of polymerized MTs for gelation, and fluorescent label modification of tubulin for visualization by microscopy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama, Japan

    Yoshihito Osada

  2. Nakabayashi Laboratory Department of Chemistry Faculty of Science, Saitama University, Nara, Japan

    Ryuzo Kawamura

  3. Saitama University Department of Chemistry, Saitama-shi, Saitama, Japan

    Ryuzo Kawamura

  4. Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Kyoto, Japan

    Ken-Ichi Sano

Authors
  1. Yoshihito Osada
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  2. Ryuzo Kawamura
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  3. Ken-Ichi Sano
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Osada, Y., Kawamura, R., Sano, KI. (2016). Microtubule Gel. In: Hydrogels of Cytoskeletal Proteins. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27377-8_4

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