Application of Chemical Inhibitors in Live Cell Imaging of Plant Meiosis Using Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy

Abstract

Live imaging combined with the application of chemical inhibitors is a powerful research tool that enables researchers to precisely time the inhibition of cellular processes and study the consequences of these perturbations. This approach is usually applied to in vitro cultivated cells that are easily accessible to chemical treatments and microscopic observations. Here we describe a method for live cell imaging of Arabidopsis meiocytes embedded within floral organs combined with the application of a chemical drug at desired timepoints during meiosis. We describe a customized solution for the Zeiss Z.1 light sheet microscope, including sample preparation and data processing, and demonstrate its utility for the analysis of meiotic progression upon spindle inhibition.