Super-resolutive microscopy

Our laboratory has unique equipment for super-resolutive imaging  applied to the study of diseases of the nervous system.

Team

Operational Manager. Clémence Mille (Clemence.Mille@inserm.fr)

Scientific manager. Christian Specht (CRCN, Christian.Specht@inserm.fr)

Super-resolution Microscopy

This platform provides super-resolution microscopy equipment (SMLM, SIM) which makes it possible to study neuronal structures with a spatial resolution that exceeds the diffraction limits. Among these technologies, single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) achieves a precision of the order of 10 nanometers, which allows ultra-structural characterization of neurons as well as quantification by molecular counting and spatio-temporal tracking of targets. specific in living cells.

Activities

This platform aims to study pathological processes in neurons using super-resolution imaging approaches (SIM, SMLM).

SIM microscopy (structured illumination microscopy) is based on varied illumination of the field of view which provides access to information in frequency space by Fourier transformation, thus improving the resolution to around 100 nm. This allows the characterization of fine structural details, as illustrated by the identification of spectrin rings in the initial segment of the axon.

SMLM (single molecule localization microscopy) is based on the principle of detecting single molecules, which can be located with a spatial precision of around ten nanometers. Among the different approaches, dSTORM generally consists of immunostaining of endogenous targets using organic dyes. In the PALM configuration, photo-convertible fluorescent proteins are used to label and visualize targets in living cells.

Financements

Equipements 

Our laboratory is equipped with a ZEISS Elyra PS1 microscopy station which allows two types of super-resolution imaging, SIM and SMLM, including PALM and dSTORM. Moreover, an Abbelight SAFe nanoscope offers additional SMLM options, including spectral unmixing and astigmatic imaging for three-dimensional localization of single molecule detections.

Access

This equipment is available to external users on request, generally within the framework of scientific collaboration. Submitted projects are evaluated by a scientific commission made up of experts in different imaging technologies. Contact: christian.specht@inserm.fr