Live-Cell Imaging of Fluorescently Tagged Phloem Proteins with Confocal Microscopy

Abstract

Confocal laser scanning microscopy can enable observation of phloem cells in living tissues. Here we describe live imaging of phloem cells in the leaves and roots of Arabidopsis thaliana using fluorescently tagged proteins, either expressed in the vasculature using phloem specific promoters or constitutively expressed reference marker lines. Now, the majority of phloem cell types can be identified, allowing a precise cellular and subcellular localization of phloem proteins.