Three-dimensional nanoscopy of whole cells and tissues with in situ point spread function retrieval

Nat Methods. 2020 May;17(5):531-540. doi: 10.1038/s41592-020-0816-x. Epub 2020 May 4.

Abstract

Single-molecule localization microscopy is a powerful tool for visualizing subcellular structures, interactions and protein functions in biological research. However, inhomogeneous refractive indices inside cells and tissues distort the fluorescent signal emitted from single-molecule probes, which rapidly degrades resolution with increasing depth. We propose a method that enables the construction of an in situ 3D response of single emitters directly from single-molecule blinking datasets, and therefore allows their locations to be pinpointed with precision that achieves the Cramér-Rao lower bound and uncompromised fidelity. We demonstrate this method, named in situ PSF retrieval (INSPR), across a range of cellular and tissue architectures, from mitochondrial networks and nuclear pores in mammalian cells to amyloid-β plaques and dendrites in brain tissues and elastic fibers in developing cartilage of mice. This advancement expands the routine applicability of super-resolution microscopy from selected cellular targets near coverslips to intra- and extracellular targets deep inside tissues.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Brain / pathology
  • Cartilage / metabolism*
  • Cartilage / pathology
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / methods*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods*
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Molecular Imaging / methods
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Nuclear Pore / metabolism
  • Plaque, Amyloid / metabolism*
  • Plaque, Amyloid / pathology
  • Single Molecule Imaging / methods*

Associated data

  • figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.11962764