Open AccessElectron tomography and immunonanogold electron microscopy for investigating intracellular trafficking and secretion in human eosinophils
Author(s) -
Melo Rossana C. N.,
Dvorak Ann M.,
Weller Peter F.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2008.00346.x
Subject(s) - secretion , microbiology and biotechnology , electron microscope , secretory protein , electron tomography , eosinophil , granule (geology) , intracellular , biology , immunology , physics , biochemistry , scanning transmission electron microscopy , paleontology , asthma , optics
Electron tomography (ET) has increasingly been used to understand the complexity of membrane systems and protein‐trafficking events. By ET and immunonanogold electron microscopy, we recently defined a route for vesicular transport and release of granule‐stored products from within activated human eosinophils, cells specialized in the secretion of numerous cytokines and other proteins during inflammatory responses. Here, we highlight these techniques as important tools to unveil a distinct eosinophil vesicular system and secretory pathway.