By tagging the extracellular domains of membrane receptors with superecliptic pHluorin, and by imaging these fusion receptors in cultured mouse neurons, we can directly visualize individual vesicular insertion events of the receptors to the plasma membrane. This technique will be instrumental in elucidating the molecular mechanisms governing receptor insertion to the plasma membrane.
Li, Y., Roy, B. D., Wang, W., Zhang, L., Sampson, S. B., Lin, D. Imaging pHluorin-tagged Receptor Insertion to the Plasma Membrane in Primary Cultured Mouse Neurons. J. Vis. Exp. (69), e4450, doi:10.3791/4450 (2012).