Storm Microscopy
Storm Microscopy - Related Videos
16:52
Test Samples for Optimizing STORM Super-Resolution Microscopy
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Cited by 48 •
2013
We describe the preparation of three test samples and how they can be used to optimize and assess the performance of STORM microscopes. Using these examples we show how to acquire raw data and then process it to acquire super-resolution images in cells of approximately 30-50 nm resolution.
06:27
Simulating Impacts of Ice Storms on Forest Ecosystems
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Cited by 6 •
2020
Ice storms are important weather events that are challenging to study because of difficulties in predicting their occurrence. Here, we describe a novel method for simulating ice storms that involves spraying water over a forest canopy during sub-freezing conditions.
09:54
A Streamlined Protocol for Single-Molecule Localization Microscopy in Arabidopsis Nuclei
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2026
This protocol presents an efficient workflow for single-molecule localization microscopy imaging of isolated Arabidopsis nuclei, using optimized isolation, fixation, and labeling to achieve reliable nanoscale visualization of chromatin and RNA Polymerase II. This approach can be readily adapted to other chromatin-associated proteins or histone modifications for high-resolution imaging.
11:16
Correlative Light- and Electron Microscopy Using Quantum Dot Nanoparticles
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Cited by 12 •
2016
A method is described whereby quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles can be used for correlative immunocytochemical studies of epoxy embedded human pathology tissue. We employ commercial antibody fragment conjugated QDs that are visualized by widefield fluorescence light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.
08:57
Focussed Ion Beam Milling and Scanning Electron Microscopy of Brain Tissue
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Cited by 105 •
2011
This protocol describes how resin embedded brain tissue can be prepared and imaged in the three dimensions in the focussed ion beam, scanning electron microscope.
FAQs
STORM microscopy activates only a sparse subset of photoswitchable fluorescent molecules at a time. This separation allows individual emitters to be localized precisely rather than recorded as one overlapping fluorescent signal. Repeating the activation and localization process generates many molecular positions that can be combined into a detailed reconstruction of cellular structure.
Photoswitchable fluorescent molecules provide control over when individual emitters contribute to an image. By activating only a limited subset at each stage, the method reduces simultaneous signal overlap and supports precise localization. Their controlled participation is therefore central to converting fluorescence information into a spatial map of nanoscale biological organization.
A reconstructed image retains the positions of many individually localized emitters, allowing researchers to examine organization at a finer spatial scale than a conventional fluorescence image. This approach can reveal how labeled proteins, membranes, or cytoskeletal components are arranged, making spatial relationships and structural patterns more accessible in biological samples.
Conventional light microscopy is limited in how closely separate fluorescent features can be distinguished, whereas STORM microscopy uses sequential sparse activation and emitter localization to resolve finer cellular details. The difference is especially important when biological structures lie close together, because their molecular organization may otherwise appear as a single unresolved fluorescent pattern.
A basic workflow begins by labeling the cellular structure of interest with photoswitchable fluorescent molecules. The microscope then activates a sparse subset of emitters, localizes those individual signals, and repeats the process for additional subsets. Finally, the collected positions are combined computationally into a high-resolution reconstruction for biological interpretation.
Researchers can apply STORM microscopy to proteins, membranes, cytoskeletal components, and other nanoscale features in cells and tissues. Because the method links molecular labeling with spatially resolved imaging, it can show how these components are organized and interact within cellular architecture rather than only indicating their general fluorescent presence.
The resulting images provide spatial information relevant to cellular architecture, signaling, and disease-related structural changes. Researchers can use this information to examine where labeled molecules are positioned and how biological structures are organized or interact. These observations help connect molecular labeling with structural changes that may be important in normal or diseased cells.