Imaging of Autonomous Bioluminescence Emission From Single Mammalian Cells

The bioluminescent visualization of individual mammalian cells usually requires the addition of a luciferin substrate. This chapter describes the microscopic imaging of single cells by their bioluminescence (BL) emission generated without an external luciferin. Imaging is based on the expression of codon-optimized lux (co lux) genes and does not require manipulation of the cells apart from transfection. Due to the high brightness of the co lux system, light emission from single cells can be observed continuously for many hours using a specialized microscope.