ABSTRACT
The T. brucei cell contains at least eight single-copy organelles, including the flagellum that emanates from the flagellar pocket in the posterior region of the cell and is attached along the entire cell body by the (hi) flagellar attachment zone (FAZ). Expansion microscopy is based on a series of chemical steps to physically magnify the cell and visualize ultrastructures by optical microscopy. The use of ultrastructure expansion microscopy was first demonstrated in Kinetoplastea localizing a component of the mitochondrial genome segregation machinery (TAP110) relative to its interaction partner TAC102. U-ExM offers several technical advantages for visualizing ultrastructures, but it also faces significant challenges. The expansion factor was determined by comparing the ratio of expanded cell length, kDNA and nucleus to non-expanded cell length, kDNA and nucleus. The length of the cell structure was determined by measuring the cell length from anterior to posterior end in each cell.
