The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a critical role in protein synthesis and transport. Its malfunction can lead to serious diseases so it is important to be able to observe how it works.
Yukio Yamaguchi and colleagues at the University of Tokyo, Japan, have managed to selectively label the ER in live cells using quantum dots (QDs). Although organic dyes have previously been used for this purpose, Yamaguchi’s QDs are less toxic and more photostable.
The QDs’ photoluminescence enabled the team to view the ER using a confocal microscope, making them a powerful tool for long-term real-time observation of the ER, Yamaguchi says.
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