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Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) provides a better resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing the point spread function (PSF). PSF is the light intensity distribution from a point that causes it to appear blurred. Due to PSF, each fluorescing point appears bigger than its actual size, and it is the PSF interference of nearby fluorophores that causes the blurred image. Various approaches to achieving higher resolution through SRFM have recently been developed.

Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy

Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy

Confocal microscopy is an advanced microscopic technique. The prime advantage of the confocal microscope over other microscopy techniques is its ability to block the out-of-focus light from the illuminated samples using pinholes. It is widely used with fluorescence optics to obtain high-resolution, sharp contrast images. Unlike optical microscopes, confocal microscopes use a focused beam of light laser to scan the entire sample surface at different z-planes. These microscopes are, therefore,...

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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Super-Resolution Imaging and Shared Management: A Protocol for Confocal Microscopy with Multiplex Detection

Super-Resolution Imaging and Shared Management: A Protocol for Confocal Microscopy with Multiplex Detection

Published on: February 24, 2026

A guide to super-resolution fluorescence microscopy.

Lothar Schermelleh¹, Rainer Heintzmann, Heinrich Leonhardt

¹Department of Biology and Center for Integrated Protein Science, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany. lothar.schermelleh@lmu.de

The Journal of Cell Biology

|July 21, 2010

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

New super-resolution microscopy techniques overcome the limits of traditional light microscopy. These advanced methods enable unprecedented insights into cellular structures and functions.

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Last Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Super-Resolution Imaging and Shared Management: A Protocol for Confocal Microscopy with Multiplex Detection

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Published on: January 13, 2021

Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Microscopy
Biophysics

Background:

Traditional light microscopy has long been the cornerstone of cell biology.
Its application is fundamentally limited by optical resolution, hindering detailed cellular investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce and summarize recent advancements in super-resolution microscopy.
To highlight how these technologies surpass conventional optical limits.

Main Methods:

Development of super-resolution techniques.
These methods utilize tailored illumination, nonlinear fluorophore responses, or single-molecule localization.

Main Results:

Super-resolution microscopy bypasses the diffraction limit of light.
Enables visualization of cellular components with nanoscale precision.

Conclusions:

Novel super-resolution technologies offer transformative potential for cell biology.
These advancements provide unprecedented possibilities for studying cell structure and function.