Identifying protein interactions in intracellular signaling
Dr. Sieck and his colleagues use confocal microscopy to image and characterize protein-protein interactions involved in intracellular signaling. In this example, the real-time interaction of mitochondria (labeled with MitoTracker Red) and F-actin (labeled with LifeAct — green) is shown in a human airway smooth muscle cell.
Overview
The Mayo Clinic Cell and Regenerative Physiology Laboratory, led by Gary C. Sieck, Ph.D., studies the physiology of muscles, specifically exploring neural control of contraction and cell signaling mechanisms involved in excitation-contraction coupling and mitochondrial energetic support.
Dr. Sieck's Cell and Regenerative Physiology Laboratory has developed an extensive array of state-of-the-art physiological, biomedical engineering and imaging techniques to explore physiological mechanisms. These techniques include:
- Confocal imaging.
- Laser-capture microdissection and in situ hybridization to analyze messenger RNA expression in single identified cells.
- Biomechanical measurements of muscle performance.
- Measurement and manipulation of protein expression.
- Viral-mediated gene transfer in targeted cells.
- Real-time functional imaging.
- Exploration of cell signaling pathways.