ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the discovery of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) is traced from its initial identification and purification in the 1950s by Nobel laureate Osamu Shimomura. The gradual advances in GFP research are detailed, including its cloning and the discoveries that it can be fused to other proteins and used for a variety of important cell biological and developmental research avenues. The contributions of Nobel laureates Roger Tsien and Martin Chalfie are acknowledged in expanding the current understanding and use of the GFP. The role of the GFP in the development of super-resolution microscopy techniques is addressed. Although the discovery of GFP has not yet led to clinical developments, this is anticipated in the coming years.
