Post on 23-Feb-2016
description
Breaking the Diffraction Barrier:Super-Resolution Imaging of Cells
Edgar Ferrer-Lorenzo, Nicole Gagnon, Anna Torre
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Optical microscopes have limitations
• Diffraction limited• Resolution depends on
the wavelength of light and diameter of lens of optical microscope
• Specimen not alive
The solution: STORM
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STORM fluorescence microscopy can overcome the diffraction limit
A StORM image is constructed from the localization of individual fluorescent
molecules that are switched on and off using light of different colors
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STORM provides sub-diffraction-limit image resolution
Rust et al., Nature Methods 3: 793-796 (2006). Betzig et al., Science 313: 1642-1645 (2006). 5
STORM can resolve DNA structure
Fluorophores bound to DNA fragment
RecA coated circular plasmid DNA
Rust et al., Nature Methods 3: 793-796 (2006). 8
High resolution imaging of the action cytoskeletal network in neurons
Xu et al., Science 339: 452-456 (2013). 11
STORM has advanced biology• Unambiguous identification of specific
proteins• Protein-protein interactions• Structure of small-type protein complexes• Live cell dynamics• Single molecule tracking• Cluster analysis and molecular counting
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