Advantages of Using LifeAct for Actin Visualization

In contrast to the current approaches, LifeAct visualizes F-actin within fixed and living cells, without compromising cellular processes, such as the locomotion of dendritic cells or neuronal polarization.

LifeAct, a 17-amino acid peptide, is derived from a protein found in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. As a novel actin marker, LifeAct combines crucial characteristics that make it the best marker available today. To date, it is the shortest actin marker for living cells and has a low binding affinity to F-actin. Although it is high enough to label F-actin very specifically, LifeAct does not disturb actin kinetics. Because of this, actin’s functionality in cellular processes remains unrestricted. When using LifeAct for visualization of the actin cytoskeleton, researchers achieve the most authentic results. LifeAct plasmids can also be transiently transfected into various cell types. Moreover, they allow for the generation of stable cell lines, which results in long-term actin staining for different applications. Difficult-to-transfect cells, such as primary cells, are easily transduced with the LifeAct adenoviral vectors.

To readily achieve high imaging performance, transfection or transduction of LifeAct can easily be done in ibidi’s μ-Slides and μ-Dishes. For example, you can combine ibidi’s Torpedo ^DNA transfection reagent with the μ-Slide VI ^0.4 and perform transfection experiments directly in this slide.