Second-Generation <i>Drosophila</i> Chemical Tags: Sensitivity, Versatility, and Speed.

ABSTRACT: Labeling and visualizing cells and subcellular structures within thick tissues, whole organs, and even intact animals is key to studying biological processes. This is particularly true for studies of neural circuits where neurons form submicron synapses but have arbors that may span millimeters in length. Traditionally, labeling is achieved by immunofluorescence; however, diffusion of antibody molecules (>100 kDa) is slow and often results in uneven labeling with very poor penetration into the center of thick specimens; these limitations can be partially addressed by extending staining protocols to over a week (Drosophila brain) and months (mice). Recently, we developed an alternative approach using genetically encoded chemical tags CLIP, SNAP, Halo, and TMP for tissue labeling; thi

SUBMITTER: Sutcliffe B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5378102 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature