Recent advances in microscopic observation technologies, typified by super-resolution microscopy, have enabled intracellular imaging with an xy-spatial resolution of less than 100 nm. By leveraging these technologies, it has become possible to precisely track the dynamics of innate immune-related molecules, including pattern recognition receptors. In this special lecture, focusing on our recent research achievements regarding STING (a molecule that induces type-I interferon and inflammatory responses in response to cytosolic double-stranded DNA), I will introduce how cell biological analyses, including microscopic observations, contribute to elucidating the mechanisms of autoinflammation. The importance of understanding intracellular trafficking pathways and organelle functions will be discussed.
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