Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy of fungi

A large number of critical molecular and cellular events occur at the cell surface and cortex; such as cell adhesion, secretion, cytoskeletal interactions, membrane dynamics and cell wall deposition. Investigating such phenomena using many epifluorescence microscopy methods has been challenging due to less than desirable temporal resolution, signal to noise ratio, and phototoxicity. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy overcomes many of these difficulties and represents a viable approach for selective visualization of surface regions of fungal and other eukaryotic cell systems.