Live Cell Imaging of the Cytoskeleton

Abstract The cytoskeleton is the network of cytoplasmic protein filaments, composed of microtubules (MTs), actin filaments, and intermediate filaments, that provides an internal scaffold to give the cell shape. The organization of the cytoskeleton is not static but rather rearranges to enable a variety of fundamental cellular processes including chromosome segregation, cytokinesis, cell migration, cell polarity, cell adhesion, neuron outgrowth, chemotaxis, muscle contraction, cytoplasmic streaming, locomotion by flagella, subcellular organelle distribution, and intracellular trafficking. Given this multifunctional role, it is not surprising that cytoskeletal defects have been associated with a large variety of human diseases including neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, muscular dystrophies, and cardiac disorders. Therefore, understanding the molecular basis of cytoskeleton dynamics and its impact on cell biology is of vital importance. In this chapter, we provide an overview of some of the methods used to image cytoskeleton dynamics in live cells, placing an emphasis on recent advances in the visualization of the MT and the actin cytoskeleton in multicellular organisms.