Live Imaging of Cytoskeletal Dynamics in Embryonic Xenopus laevis Growth Cones and Neural Crest Cells
- 1Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
- 2Institute of Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA
- 3Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
- ↵5Correspondence: lalowery{at}bu.edu
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↵4 These authors contributed equally to this work.
Abstract
The cytoskeleton is a dynamic, fundamental network that not only provides mechanical strength to maintain a cell's shape but also controls critical events like cell division, polarity, and movement. Thus, how the cytoskeleton is organized and dynamically regulated is critical to our understanding of countless processes. Live imaging of fluorophore-tagged cytoskeletal proteins allows us to monitor the dynamic nature of cytoskeleton components in embryonic cells. Here, we describe a protocol to monitor and analyze cytoskeletal dynamics in primary embryonic neuronal growth cones and neural crest cells obtained from Xenopus laevis embryos.
Footnotes
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From the Xenopus collection, edited by Hazel L. Sive.
