Activation and inactivation of proteins using photoactivation of caged peptides or proteins offer insights into cellular dynamics not achievable using genetic means. The ability to selectively alter the activity of a specific protein at a defined time and location inside a cell allows the correlation of changes in protein activity and cellular behavior. A caged compound, peptide, or protein is prepared by covalently linking it to a photolabile, protecting group. - [Read Introduction of Caged Peptide/Protein into Cells Using Microinjection Protocol]
Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is a relatively new light microscopical imaging technique which has found wide applications in the biological sciences. The primary value of the CLSM to the biologist is its ability to produce optical sections through a 3-D specimen-e.g., an entire cell or a piece of tissue - that, to a good approximation, contain information from only one focal plane. Article includes principle and applications of confocal laser scanning microscope. - [Read Looking Inside Cells and Tissues by Optical Sectioning with a Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope]