Fluorescent imaging methods have transformed our understanding of biological processes within living cells, says a scientist in Israel.

Using microscopy techniques, the movement of proteins and nucleic acids inside a cell can be followed to such an extent that it is now possible to track gene expression pathways in single cells, said Yaron Shav-Tal at Bar-Ilan University.   

Real-time tracking of biomolecules marked with fluorescent tags makes it possible to visualise specific biological processes in the cell, said Shav-Tal. This can include the constant movement of proteins in and out of nuclear domains or the journey of messenger RNA from the site of synthesis to the nuclear membrane, he continued.
 
A future challenge will be to track multiple processes occurring simultaneously on different genes and to understand the physical roles that govern gene expression, said Shav-Tal.

Alison Stoddart