HAK-actin, a U-ExM-compatible probe to image the actin cytoskeleton

Cell Reports Methods 2026 Open access

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Authors: Olivier Mercey, Luc Reymond, Florent Lemaître, Isabelle Méan, Marine H. Laporte, Marine Olivetta, Karin Sadoul, Omaya Dudin, Virginie Hamel, Paul Guichard
DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2026.101408
Cited by: 6
References: 55

Abstract

Expansion microscopy (ExM) enables super-resolution imaging by physically enlarging biological samples. While ExM has been successfully applied to study the intracellular microtubule cytoskeleton, reliable probes for visualizing actin fibers remain limited. Here, we present HAK-actin, an engineered actin probe compatible with ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM). We show that HAK-actin delivers robust and uniform actin staining across diverse systems, including human cells, microbial eukaryotes, and mouse retinal tissue. This tool provides a simple, versatile, and reproducible solution for actin cytoskeleton visualization, addressing a critical need in cell biology.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Cellular Mechanics and Interactions

Publication details

Journal / source
Cell Reports Methods
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
6
Issue
5
Pages
101408–101408
Publication date
16 April 2026
Language
EN