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Lifeact mice for studying F-actin dynamics

Nature Methods volume 7, pages 168–169 (2010)Cite this article

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To the Editor:

Visualization of filamentous actin (F-actin) in living cells is critical for the study of morphogenetic processes such as cell division, migration or polarization. We recently described in these pages the 17-amino-acid Lifeact peptide, which can be used to specifically label F-actin without adverse effects on actin dynamics1. Although this marker has since been used in many cell types and experimental models it is still of limited utility when studying primary cells or when looking at tissues and whole animals.

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Figure 1: Characterization of transgenic Lifeact mice.

References

  1. Riedl, J. et al. Nat. Methods 5, 605–607 (2008).

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Max Planck society.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Max Planck Research Group Cellular Dynamics and Cell Patterning, Martinsried, Germany

    Julia Riedl, Gisela Beck & Roland Wedlich-Söldner

  2. Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Max Planck Research Group Axonal Growth and Regeneration, Martinsried, Germany

    Kevin C Flynn & Frank Bradke

  3. Department of Molecular Medicine, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany

    Aurelia Raducanu, Michael Bösl & Attila Aszodi

  4. German Heart Centre, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany

    Florian Gärtner & Steffen Massberg

  5. Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Hofschneider Group Leukocyte Migration, Martinsried, Germany

    Michael Sixt

Authors
  1. Julia Riedl
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  2. Kevin C Flynn
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  4. Florian Gärtner
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  7. Frank Bradke
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  8. Steffen Massberg
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  11. Roland Wedlich-Söldner
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Michael Sixt or Roland Wedlich-Söldner.

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Competing interests

J.R., M.S. and R.W.-S. have submitted a patent application (07 023 084.2; Peptide for determining actin structures in living cells) to the EU patent office.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Text and Figures

Supplementary Figures 1–6, Supplementary Methods (PDF 1847 kb)

Supplementary Video 1

Migrating T-cell expressing Lifeact-EGFP. Images were acquired by TIRFM. Scale bar, 3 μm. (MOV 308 kb)

Supplementary Video 2

Spreading platelet expressing Lifeact-EGFP. Images were acquired by TIRFM. Scale bar, 3 μm. (MOV 58 kb)

Supplementary Video 3

Dividing chondrocytes. Images of tibial cartilage slice cultures were acquired on a spinning disk microscope. Scale bar, 20 μm. (MOV 364 kb)

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Riedl, J., Flynn, K., Raducanu, A. et al. Lifeact mice for studying F-actin dynamics. Nat Methods 7, 168–169 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth0310-168

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