The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2014 was awarded to Eric Betzig, Stefan W. Hell and William E. Moerner for developing super resolved fluorescence microscopy. Super resolution microscopy uses fluorescence imaging techniques to achieve resolutions below the classical diffraction limit and allows study of subcellular structures at the nanoscale. It generates high resolution images from lower resolution images. Super resolution microscopy has advantages like observation at depth within samples, enhanced resolving power below 200nm, and ability to obtain 3D time-lapse images. However, it still requires expertise and time for complex experimental design, sample preparation, system calibration and data analysis.
2. Noble Prize Winners
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2014 was awarded jointly to Eric
Betzig, Stefan W. Hell and William E. Moerner "for the development
of super resolved fluorescence microscopy.
Eric
Betzig
Stefan W.
Hell
William
E. Moerner
3. Super-Resolution
Microscopy
Super-resolution microscopy (SRM) is a fast-developing field
that encompasses fluorescence imaging techniques with the
capability to resolve objects below the classical diffraction limit
of optical resolution.
Super- resolved microscopy allows the study of subcellular
architecture and dynamics at the nanoscale. Researchers can
clearly observe not only the surface of the sample, but also up
to 100 µm deep within the sample.
Image Super Resolution refers to the task of enhancing the
resolution of an image from low-resolution (LR) to high (HR).
5. Central Aim
The central aim of Super-Resolution microscopy (SRM) is to
generate a higher resolution image from lower resolution
images.
High resolution image offers a high pixel density and thereby
more details about the original scene.
6. Uses
It is popularly used in the following applications:
1. Surveillance: to detect, identify, and perform facial recognition on
low-resolution images obtained from security cameras.
2. Medical: capturing high-resolution MRI images which can be tricky
when it comes to scan time, spatial coverage, and signal-to-noise
ratio (SNR). Super resolution helps resolve this by generating high-
resolution MRI from otherwise low-resolution MRI images.
3. Media: super resolution can be used to reduce server costs, as media
can be sent at a lower resolution.
7. SRM v/s EM
While SRM enables scientists to study the cell architecture
dynamically in living cells, the resolution is usually lower than with
electron microscopy. However, EM requires sample fixation and thus
is a method to study cell architectures in non-living samples.
(For life sciences studies, both SRM and EM can resolve cellular
structures and thus allow deep insights into the cell function.)
8. Advantages
Observation at depth: Super-resolution microscopy allows the
study of subcellular architecture and dynamics at the nanoscale.
Researchers can clearly observe not only the surface of the
sample, but also up to 100 µm deep within the sample.
Super-resolution is enhanced resolving power:- with several
super-resolution options available that allow the imaging of
structures below 200 nm.
Three-dimensional imaging: Researchers can obtain detailed
three-dimensional super-resolution image data during time-lapse
imaging thanks to higher temporal resolutions.
9. Ease of use: Some super-resolution microscopy techniques
combine intrinsic optical sectioning with fast data acquisition
and dual-color super-resolution to provide quality images in a
timely fashion for further actions.
10. Limitations
Despite the promises of microscopy companies, most SRM is still not
yet ‘turn-key’. Particular expertise is required, not necessarily in how
to ‘press the right buttons’ on any given commercial system, but for
the typically more complex experimental design, the higher demands
on the quality of sample preparations, the more delicate system
calibration, and the complexity in data post processing and
quantitative analyses.
Therefore, the amount of time and commitment required to do Super
Resolved Microscopy meticulously has been, (and still is) a barrier
for many biological and biomedical labs to move into this field
