Scientists have developed a new microscopy technique that allows one to obtain three-dimensional images of subcellular
The new approach is extended microscopy,based on the method of suppression of spontaneous emission (STED) - a breakthrough technique that allows you to achieve nanoscale resolution by overcoming the diffraction limit of optical microscopes. For developing this technique, Stefan Hell received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2014.
“Our microscope is the world's first instrumentwhich allows you to achieve 3-D STED resolution deep inside living tissue, the researchers noted. “Such advances in deep tissue imaging technology will enable researchers to directly visualize subcellular structures and dynamics in their native environment. The ability to study cellular behavior is critical to gaining a complete understanding of biological phenomena for biomedical research and pharmaceutical development. "
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STED microscopy is most commonly used fordisplay of cultured cell samples. Using the technique to obtain images of thick tissues or animals is much more difficult. This limitation occurs because tissue prevents light from penetrating deeply and focusing correctly, thereby impairing the microscope's ability to achieve ultra-high resolution.
To solve this problem, the researchers combinedSTED microscopy with two-photon excitation (2PE) and adaptive optics. This technology corrects for distortions in the shape of light, optical aberrations that occur when imaging in and through tissue.
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