Full elucidation of sorting mechanisms in and around the Golgi apparatus by super-resolution live imaging

The Golgi body or Golgi apparatus is a cell organelle that plays a key role in protein transport and sorting in the cell. Although basic models of ‘vesicular transport’ processes appear to be widely accepted, there are many researchers who question the status quo. Because of the difficulties of working with traffic processes in living cells, there are still many unanswered questions. Dr Akihiko Nakano is a researcher working to uncover the full truth about protein transport within the Golgi apparatus. Indeed, his work on the Golgi cisternal maturation is viewed as a monumental milestone in the field. Technological developments, particularly in live imaging microscopy, mean it is possible to look at specific objects in unprecedented detail and these advancements could enable Nakano to fully elucidate the sorting mechanisms in and around the Golgi apparatus. Nakano is based at the RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics (RAP) in Japan and forms part of the Live Cell Super-Resolution Imaging Research Team. He and the team are harnessing the power and potential of live imaging to re-examine the processes of membrane traffic in living cells of different species, yeast, plant and animal cells. The goal is to propose a fundamental model of membrane trafficking that can explain seemingly different behaviours of membranes by common mechanisms. A key part of the teamâ–™s research has involved the development of a novel microscopic methodology called super-resolution confocal live imaging microscopy (SCLIM).