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Spinning disk microscopy is a type of fluorescence microscopy that uses a spinning disk with multiple pinholes to generate an image. This technique is widely used in biological research to study cellular structures and dynamic processes.
In spinning disk microscopy, a laser is used to excite a fluorescent probe within a biological sample. The emitted light is then focused onto a spinning disk with multiple pinholes. As the disk rotates, each pinhole allows a different part of the image to pass through and onto a camera detector. By combining the images collected through each pinhole, a single high-resolution image can be generated.
One of the advantages of spinning disk microscopy is its ability to rapidly capture high-resolution images of living cells and tissues. The spinning disk allows for fast image acquisition while minimizing photodamage and photobleaching, which can occur with other types of microscopy. Additionally, spinning disk microscopy can provide images with high signal-to-noise ratios, allowing for the detection of weak fluorescence signals.
Spinning disk microscopy has a wide range of applications in biological research, including the study of cellular dynamics, protein localization, and intracellular trafficking.
Airy discs, also known as Airy patterns, are the diffraction patterns produced by a circular aperture when it is illuminated by a point source of light. They are named after the British astronomer George Airy, who first described them in the 19th century.
The Airy disc pattern appears as a series of concentric rings of light and dark regions, with the brightest part located in the center. The rings of the pattern get fainter and closer together as they move outward from the center. The size of the Airy disc is determined by the diameter of the circular aperture and the wavelength of the light.
In astronomy, the Airy disc is an important concept because it determines the resolution of a telescope. The smaller the Airy disc, the better the resolution of the telescope. However, even the best telescopes have a finite resolution due to the effects of diffraction.
The Airy disc pattern is also important in microscopy, where it determines the resolution of the microscope. By using lenses with high numerical apertures, microscopes can reduce the size of the Airy disc and improve their resolution.
The Point Spread Function (PSF) is a mathematical function used to describe how a system or instrument spreads out a single point of light. In optics, for example, the PSF is used to describe how a lens or telescope blurs or spreads out a point of light into a disc or spot on an image.
The PSF is typically modeled as a Gaussian or other mathematical function that describes how the intensity of the light varies with distance from the center of the point source. The shape and size of the PSF depends on a variety of factors, including the properties of the optics, the wavelength of the light, and the environment in which the system operates.
In image processing, the PSF is often used as a basis for deconvolution, a technique for sharpening images that have been blurred by the PSF of the imaging system. By estimating the PSF and applying it to the blurred image, deconvolution algorithms can recover some of the fine detail that was lost due to the blurring effect.
DNA paint is a technique used in super-resolution microscopy to visualize the spatial organization of chromatin and other biological structures at high resolution. The technique involves the use of fluorescently labeled DNA oligonucleotides, which are designed to bind to specific target sequences within the genome.
In DNA paint, the fluorescently labeled DNA oligonucleotides are added to the sample and allowed to hybridize with the target sequences in the genome. The sample is then imaged using a super-resolution microscope, which allows for the visualization of individual fluorescently labeled DNA molecules. By collecting images of many individual molecules and combining them, a high-resolution image of the chromatin structure can be generated.
One of the advantages of DNA paint is its ability to visualize specific genomic regions with high specificity and resolution. This technique can be used to study the 3D organization of chromatin and to visualize the spatial relationships between genes and other genomic elements.
DNA paint has a wide range of applications in biological research, including the study of gene regulation, genome organization, and chromatin structure. It has the potential to provide insights into the mechanisms that govern cellular function and disease.
Photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM) is a type of super-resolution microscopy used to study biological structures and processes at the nanoscale level. It is a single molecule localization microscopy technique that enables the imaging of structures at a resolution that is beyond the diffraction limit of light.
In PALM microscopy, fluorescent proteins are used as markers to visualize individual molecules. The sample is first illuminated with a low-intensity light, which causes a small fraction of the fluorescent proteins to switch from a dark state to a fluorescent state. These fluorescent molecules are then imaged using a high-resolution microscope, which allows the precise localization of individual molecules.
By collecting images of many individual molecules and combining them, a high-resolution image of the biological structure can be generated. PALM microscopy can achieve a resolution of a few nanometers, which is significantly higher than the diffraction limit of light.
PALM microscopy has a wide range of applications in biological research, including the study of protein localization, protein-protein interactions, and cellular dynamics. It has the potential to provide insights into the mechanisms that govern cellular function and disease.
STORM
Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) is a super-resolution microscopy technique used to image biological structures at the nanoscale level. It is a type of single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) that enables the imaging of structures with a resolution that is beyond the diffraction limit of light.
In STORM microscopy, fluorescent probes are used as markers to visualize individual molecules. The sample is first illuminated with a high-intensity light, which causes a small fraction of the fluorescent probes to emit light and enter a dark state. These dark molecules are then imaged using a high-resolution microscope, which allows their precise localization. The cycle of light illumination and imaging is repeated many times, and the images are then used to reconstruct the location of the fluorescent probes with nanometer-level precision.
By collecting images of many individual molecules and combining them, a high-resolution image of the biological structure can be generated. STORM microscopy can achieve a resolution of a few nanometers, which is significantly higher than the diffraction limit of light.
STORM microscopy has a wide range of applications in biological research, including the study of protein localization, protein-protein interactions, and cellular dynamics. It has the potential to provide insights into the mechanisms that govern cellular function and disease.
Airy scan microscopy is a type of confocal microscopy that combines the benefits of confocal microscopy with the resolution enhancement of super-resolution microscopy. This technique is used to visualize biological structures at high resolution and with increased contrast.
In Airy scan microscopy, a confocal microscope is equipped with a specialized detector that collects the fluorescence signal emitted by a sample. The detector is designed to collect light from an Airy disk, which is the diffraction pattern produced by a circular aperture. By detecting the fluorescence signal from within the Airy disk, Airy scan microscopy can achieve a resolution that is beyond the diffraction limit of light.
Airy scan microscopy can produce images with improved contrast and a higher signal-to-noise ratio than conventional confocal microscopy. It can also capture images at high speed and with low phototoxicity and photobleaching. This makes it an ideal technique for studying dynamic biological processes in live cells.
Airy scan microscopy has a wide range of applications in biological research, including the study of cell biology, neurobiology, and developmental biology. It has the potential to provide insights into the mechanisms that govern cellular function and disease.
Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) is a super-resolution microscopy technique that uses patterned illumination to achieve a resolution beyond the diffraction limit of light. SIM is a widefield imaging technique that captures multiple images of the sample under different illumination patterns and uses a computational algorithm to reconstruct a super-resolved image.
In SIM microscopy, a sample is illuminated with a patterned light source, such as a sinusoidal grating pattern. The patterned light interacts with the sample and produces moiré fringes, which contain high-frequency information about the sample. By acquiring multiple images with different patterns, the high-frequency information is extracted and used to construct a super-resolved image.
SIM microscopy can achieve a resolution of about 100-120 nanometers, which is about twice the resolution of conventional widefield microscopy. SIM is also a relatively fast technique, with image acquisition times on the order of seconds to minutes. SIM can be used to study a wide range of biological structures and processes, including the organization of cellular membranes, the distribution of intracellular organelles, and the dynamics of cytoskeletal structures.
SIM microscopy has the potential to provide insights into the mechanisms that govern cellular function and disease and has a wide range of applications in biological research, including the study of cell biology, neurobiology, and developmental biology.
Lattice Light Sheet Microscopy (LLSM) is a type of super-resolution microscopy that uses a thin sheet of light to image biological samples with high spatial and temporal resolution. It is a form of light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) that utilizes a two-dimensional lattice pattern of excitation light to improve the axial resolution.
In LLSM, a thin sheet of light is used to illuminate the sample, and a high-speed camera is used to capture the resulting fluorescence. The lattice pattern of excitation light creates an interference pattern that provides additional information about the location of fluorescent molecules in the sample. By collecting images from different angles, a three-dimensional image of the sample can be reconstructed with high spatial resolution.
LLSM can achieve an axial resolution of a few hundred nanometers, which is significantly better than the axial resolution of other super-resolution microscopy techniques. LLSM is also a fast technique that allows for the imaging of live samples without causing phototoxicity or photobleaching.
LLSM has a wide range of applications in biological research, including the study of cell biology, neurobiology, and developmental biology. It has the potential to provide insights into the mechanisms that govern cellular function and disease. LLSM is particularly well-suited for imaging complex biological systems such as embryos and tissues, as it can generate high-resolution images without causing damage to the sample.
Spectral-Spatial Structured Illumination Microscopy (SR-SIM) is a super-resolution microscopy technique that combines structured illumination microscopy (SIM) with spectral imaging. It is a widefield imaging technique that captures multiple images of the sample under different illumination patterns and spectral channels and uses computational algorithms to reconstruct a super-resolved image.
In SR-SIM, a sample is illuminated with a patterned light source, similar to SIM. However, in addition to capturing images under different illumination patterns, SR-SIM also captures images under different spectral channels. The spectral information is used to separate the different fluorescent molecules in the sample, allowing for improved resolution and contrast.
SR-SIM can achieve a resolution of about 100-120 nanometers, similar to SIM. However, by utilizing spectral information, SR-SIM can provide additional information about the sample, such as the location and abundance of different fluorescent molecules. This makes it a powerful technique for studying complex biological systems and processes.
SR-SIM has a wide range of applications in biological research, including the study of cell biology, neurobiology, and developmental biology. It has the potential to provide insights into the mechanisms that govern the cellular function and disease and has been used to study a variety of biological processes, such as cell division, protein trafficking, and membrane dynamics.
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