Visualizing single rod-shaped fission yeast vertically in micro-sized holes on agarose pad made by soft lithography

Fission yeast cells are rod-shaped unicellular organism that is normally imaged horizontally with its long axis parallel to image plane. This orientation, while practical, limits the imaging resolution of biological structures which are oriented perpendicular to the long axis of the cell. We present here a method to prepare agarose pads with micro-sized holes to load single fission yeast cell vertically and image cell with its long axis perpendicular to the image plane. As a demonstration, actomyosin ring contraction is shown with this new imaging device.