Concept

Recent progress of fluorescent live imaging is enormous. New fluorescent proteins with various optical properties and many fluorescent protein-bases probes with unique mode of actions have enabled us to visualize many cellular and molecular functions such as cell cycle status and activity of signaling molecules. The rapid evolution of fluorescent live imaging owes not only to the progress in the probes, but also to the development of microscopes based on a novel modality. A good example is the multi-photon excitation microscopy, by which we can observe living tissues of mice, fish, and flies.

The fluorescent live imaging allows us to observe cells, tissues, and animals in multiple dimensions including time, space, and function, and thereby contributes greatly to the progress of life sciences. From 2010 to 2015, "Fluorescence Live imaging" has been supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas of The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan. More than 50 PIs have participated in this research area and have achieved enumerable great discoveries. At the occasion of the end of the research grant, we wish to exchange the accomplishment among researchers of world-wide and expect further prosperity of this area.