Super-resolution Microscopy for Nanomedicine Research

Abstract

Super-resolution microscopy, or nanoscopy, revolutionized the field of cell biology, enabling researchers to visualize cellular structures with nanometric resolution, single-molecule sensitivity, and in multiple colors. However, the impact of these techniques goes beyond biology as the fields of nanotechnology and nanomedicine can greatly benefit from them, as well. Nanoscopy can visualize nanostructures in vitro and in cells and can contribute to the characterization of their structures and nano–bio interactions. In this Perspective, we discuss the potential of super-resolution imaging for nanomedicine research, its technical challenges, and the future developments we envision for this technology.

Understanding the In Vivo Fate of Advanced Materials by Imaging

“…Speed n/a: fix/frozen; ++: slow; +++: fast. Super resolution microscopy ++++ + ++ In vivo imaging [445,446] Electron microscopy (serial sectioning) +++++ +++++ n/a Ex vivo imaging [447,448] Note: Many techniques can apply across a range of resolutions, penetrations, and speeds. Annotation here captures representative properties.…”

Nanocarriers used as probes for super-resolution microscopy

“…Since the seventeenth century, the optical microscope has played a central role in resolving many complex questions in biology. [1][2][3][4][5] Countless technological developments and manufacturing breakthroughs have contributed in the development of advanced microscope designs for collecting improved image quality with minimal aberration. 3,6,7 As a consequence, optical microscopy has been a powerful and widely used technique for subcellular studies owing to its minimally invasive effects of light either on living cells and tissues for in-vivo studies.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5] Countless technological developments and manufacturing breakthroughs have contributed in the development of advanced microscope designs for collecting improved image quality with minimal aberration. 3,6,7 As a consequence, optical microscopy has been a powerful and widely used technique for subcellular studies owing to its minimally invasive effects of light either on living cells and tissues for in-vivo studies. [8][9][10][11][12] However, until recently, this technology relied on discriminating objects through focusing, 13,14 and diffraction effects limit the application of such optical microscopy in achieving higher resolution.…”

“…6 However, as the illumination mask is also limited by the diffraction of light, by combining two diffractionlimited sources of information, this technique provides improvements in resolutions restricted to100 nm and 300 nm in the lateral and axial directions, respectively. 3,21 However, SIM is still fundamentally limited by diffraction limits and any further resolution improvements require sub-diffraction-limit excitation patterns to enable readout at smaller length-scales. 21,22 This is addressed in true Super-Resolution Microscopic techniques, which encompass STED, RESOLFT, SOFI, SSIM and single-molecule localization-based methods, such as STORM (Fig.…”

“…A thorough analysis of the properties of these newly developed systems may help in designing potent therapeutics or delivering vital information on the etiology of specific diseases and chronic conditions. 3,48 Herein we discuss recent developments and potential future application of a variety of nanomaterials in tracking single molecules through superresolution imaging of subcellular structures.…”