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Dynamics of Single Protein Polymers Visualized by Fluorescence Microscopy

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Modern Optics, Electronics and High Precision Techniques in Cell Biology

Part of the book series: Principles and Practice ((PRINCIPLES))

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Abstract

Filamentous protein networks are one of the main structural elements in nature. This report describes novel approaches in video-enhanced fluorescence microscopy to visualize and analyze the molecular motions of single constituent filaments of these networks. Common examples of these biopolymer networks are the collagen matrix of connective tissue, cartilage and bones, fibrinogen networks with intercalated blood platelets, and the cytoskeleton of cells. The collagen matrix is a chemically cross-linked network of collagen fibers which consist of tropocollagen filaments. An in vitro example of a network of fibrinogen fibers with embedded platelets is displayed in Fig. 6.1. These fibrinogen gels, which form in wounds, are slowly contracted by the platelets facilitating wound closure during healing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Program for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Physics Department, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, 78712, USA

    Josef Käs, Jochen Guck & David Humphrey

Authors
  1. Josef Käs
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  2. Jochen Guck
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  3. David Humphrey
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Correspondence to Josef Käs .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Biophysics E-22, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Strasse, 85747, Garching/Munich, Germany

    Gerhard Isenberg

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© 1998 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Käs, J., Guck, J., Humphrey, D. (1998). Dynamics of Single Protein Polymers Visualized by Fluorescence Microscopy. In: Isenberg, G. (eds) Modern Optics, Electronics and High Precision Techniques in Cell Biology. Principles and Practice. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-80370-3_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-80370-3_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-80372-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-80370-3

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