Protocol for tissue expansion microscopy for ultrastructure expansion of Xenopus embryos

Abstract

Tissue expansion microscopy (TissUExM) allows super-resolution imaging by physically expanding biological samples. Here, we present a protocol for ultrastructure expansion microscopy of Xenopus embryos using TissUExM. We describe steps for tissue fixation, embedding, fluorescence labeling, and expansion. We demonstrate that our protocol provides enhanced resolution for studying subcellular structures, such as centrioles and cilia. This protocol has the potential to offer a broad range of applications to decipher sub-cellular organization in Xenopus embryos.

Keywords: Cell Biology; Developmental biology; Microscopy.