Scanning angle interference microscopy reveals cell dynamics at the nanoscale
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026

Microtensiometer for Confocal Microscopy Visualization of Dynamic Interfaces
Published on: September 9, 2022
Matthew J Paszek1, Christopher C DuFort, Matthew G Rubashkin
1Deparment of Surgery and Center for Bioengineering and Tissue Regeneration, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
Abstract:
Emerging questions in cell biology necessitate nanoscale imaging in live cells. Here we present scanning angle interference microscopy, which is capable of localizing fluorescent objects with nanoscale precision along the optical axis in motile cellular structures. We use this approach to resolve nanotopographical features of the cell membrane and cytoskeleton as well as the temporal evolution, three-dimensional architecture and nanoscale dynamics of focal adhesion complexes.
More Related Videos
08:17Probing Structural and Dynamic Properties of Trafficking Subcellular Nanostructures by Spatiotemporal Fluctuation Spectroscopy
Published on: August 16, 2021
10:29Studying Dynamic Processes of Nano-sized Objects in Liquid using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy
Published on: February 5, 2017
Related Concept Videos
Three-Dimensional Microscopy in Microbiology
Atomic Force Microscopy
The AFM Probe
The probe is regarded as the heart of any AFM setup and comprises the...
Protein Dynamics in Living Cells
Fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a fluorescent-protein-based detection technique used to quantify protein movement rates within the cell. This method exposes a small portion of the cell to an intense laser beam. The laser beam causes permanent photobleaching of the fluorophore-tagged proteins in the exposed region. As the bleached...
Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy
In-phase-contrast microscopes, interference between light directly passing through a cell and light refracted by cellular components is used to create high-contrast, high-resolution images without staining. It is the oldest and simplest type of microscope that creates an image by altering the wavelengths of light rays passing through the specimen. Altered wavelength paths are created using an annular stop in the condenser. The annular stop produces a hollow cone of...