3D reconstruction of high‐resolution STED microscope images

Tackling biological problems often involves the imaging and localization of cellular structures on the nanometer scale. Although optical super‐resolution below 100 nm can be readily attained with stimulated emission depletion (STED) and photoswitching microscopy methods, attaining an axial resolution <100 nm with focused light generally required the use of two lenses in a 4Pi configuration or exceptionally bright photochromic fluorophores. Here, we describe a simple technical solution for 3D nanoscopy of fixed samples: biological specimens are fluorescently labeled, embedded in a polymer resin, cut into thin sections, and then imaged via STED microscopy with nanoscale resolution. This approach allows a 3D image reconstruction with a resolution <80 nm in all directions using available state‐of‐the art STED microscopes. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

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