We study the quantum Hall liquid and the metal-insulator transition in a high mobility two dimensional electron gas, by means of photoluminescence and magneto-transport. In the integer and fractional regime at nu > 1/3, analyzing the emission energy
dispersion we probe the magneto-Coulomb screening and the hidden symmetry of the electron liquid. In the fractional regime above above nu =1/3 the system undergoes the metal-to-insulator transition, and in the insulating phase the dispersion becomes linear with evidence of an increased renormalized mass.
