Probing the Role of the Actin Cytoskeleton During Regulated Exocytosis by Intravital Microscopy

The actin cytoskeleton plays a fundamental role in controlling several steps during regulated exocytosis. Here we describe a combination of procedures that are aimed at studying the dynamics and the mechanism of the actin cytoskeleton in the salivary glands of live rodents, a model for exocrine secretion. Our approach relies on intravital microscopy, an imaging technique that enables imaging biological events in live animals at a subcellular resolution, and it is complemented by the use of pharmacological agents and indirect immunofluorescence in the salivary tissue.