Live Cell Imaging of G Protein-Coupled Receptors

  • Anke Teichmann
  • Antje Schmidt
  • Burkhard Wiesner
  • Alexander Oksche
  • Ralf Schülein
Protocol
First Online:
Part of the Methods in Molecular Biology book series (MIMB, volume 897)

Abstract

Live cell imaging experiments with G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) tagged with fluorescent fusion proteins were originally performed to study trafficking and subcellular location of these important drug targets. In the past decade, however, substantial progress came from improved imaging methods and from the cloning of novel fluorescent fusion proteins. Today, these methods allow to visualize not only GPCR interactions but also, e.g., receptor activation, trafficking between subcellular compartments, and to measure transport kinetics. Here, we summarize recent progress in live cell imaging of GPCRs using a confocal laser scanning microscope.

Key words

G protein-coupled receptors Fluorescence proteins Subcellular localization, Fluorescence resonance energy transfer Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

We thank Claudia Rutz for useful discussions and help in preparing the experiments. Jenny Eichhorst helped in analyzing the microscopic data, Bettina Kahlich in cell culture. Jürgen Mevert and Stephanie Wendt manufactured customized cuvettes for the LSM experiments.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  • Anke Teichmann
    • 1
  • Antje Schmidt
    • 2
  • Burkhard Wiesner
    • 3
  • Alexander Oksche
    • 4
  • Ralf Schülein
    • 3
  1. 1.Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare PharmakologieBerlinGermany
  2. 2.Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie and Max-Delbrück-Centrum für Molekulare MedizinBerlinGermany
  3. 3.Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare PharmakologieBerlinGermany
  4. 4.Mundipharma Research GmbH & Co. KGLimburg (Lahn)Germany

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