Green fluorescent proteins improve myofibril research

The ability to express fluorescent proteins in muscle cells through transfection with plasmids encoding green fluorescent proteins (GFP) was discussed. Transfecting cells with GFP helped to analyze the distribution of molecules in the living cells. The images were acquired in several focal planes to visualize all the myofibrils in thick muscle cells. Analysis suggested that premyofibrils, formed at the spreading edges of cardiomyocytes, contained punctate concentrations of alpha-actinin.