Analysing the Use of Fluorescent Cellular Imaging  and Lentiviral Biosensors for Autophagosome Formation

In the last 15 years analysis of subcellular structure dynamics has been revolutionised by the refinement of genetically-encoded fusions between fluorescent proteins and cellular structural proteins. By using fluorescence microscopy, such fusion proteins incorporate into the structure of interest without disturbing its function, and permit visualisation of the structure in live cells and in real time [1]. Traditionally, the cDNAs encoding the fusion proteins have been delivered into cells by chemical transfection or electroporation. Such transfection procedures have shortcomings, including variable expression levels and low efficiencies for transfecting primary cells.