In vivo single-cell labeling by confined primed conversion

Spatially confined green-to-red photoconversion of fluorescent proteins with high-power, pulsed laser illumination is negligible, thus precluding optical selection of single cells in vivo. We report primed conversion, in which low-power, dual-wavelength, continuous-wave illumination results in pronounced photoconversion. With a straightforward addition to a conventional confocal microscope, we show confined primed conversion in living zebrafish and reveal the complex anatomy of individual neurons packed between neighboring cells.