ABSTRACT
We demonstrate how a conventional confocal spinning-disk (CSD) microscope can be converted into a doubly resolving image scanning microscopy (ISM) system without changing any part of its optical or mechanical elements. Making use of the intrinsic properties of a CSD microscope, we illuminate stroboscopically, generating an array of excitation foci that are moved across the sample by varying the phase between stroboscopic excitation and rotation of the spinning disk. ISM then generates an image with nearly doubled resolution. Using conventional fluorophores, we have imaged single nuclear pore complexes in the nuclear membrane and aggregates of GFP-conjugated Tau protein in three dimensions. Multicolor ISM was shown on cytoskeletal-associated structural proteins and on 3D four-color images including MitoTracker and Hoechst staining. The simple adaptation of conventional CSD equipment allows superresolution investigations of a broad variety of cell biological questions.
Subject(s)
Image Enhancement/instrumentation , Image Enhancement/methods , Microscopy, Confocal/methods , Microscopy, Fluorescence/methods , Microscopy, Fluorescence/standardsABSTRACT
This chapter introduces into the technique of dual-focus fluorescence correlation spectroscopy or 2fFCS. In 2fFCS, the fluorescence signals generated in two laterally shifted but overlapping focal regions are auto- and crosscorrelated. The resulting correlation curves are then used to determine diffusion coefficients of fluorescent molecules or particles in solutions or membranes. Moreover, the technique can also be used for noninvasively measuring flow-velocity profiles in three dimensions. Because the distance between the focal regions is precisely known and not changed by most optical aberrations, this provides an accurate and immutable external length scale for determining diffusivities and velocities, making 2fFCS the method of choice for accurately measuring absolute values of these quantities at pico- to nanomolar concentration.
