Fig. 2 Retention of the live microtubule pattern after extraction, gelsolin treatment and fixation. Images of a rat embryo fibroblast (line REF-52) microinjected with Cy5-tubulin were taken in living state (green), after detergent extraction (red), and after gelsolin treatment and glutaraldehyde fixation (blue). To compare the distribution of microtubules, images were overlapped (right column). Note the exact coincidence between microtubule distribution in all images, demonstrating that the extraction, actin removal and chemical fixation procedures did not disturb the native organization of microtubules. Bar, 5 µm.