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Updated: Feb 11, 2026
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Using Expansion Microscopy to Physically Enlarge Whole-Mount Drosophila Embryos for Super-Resolution Imaging
Published on: April 28, 2023
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Superresolution imaging of Drosophila tissues using expansion microscopy
Nan Jiang1, Hyeon-Jin Kim2, Tyler J Chozinski2
1Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.
Molecular Biology of the Cell
|April 25, 2018
Summary
Expansion microscopy (ExM) enhances resolution in Drosophila tissues, revealing fine cellular structures and synaptic details previously unseen with standard microscopy. This optimized ExM protocol improves imaging of neuronal and epithelial cell interactions.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Neuroscience
- Microscopy Techniques
Background:
- Diffraction-limited microscopy has limited resolution for analyzing small cellular structures.
- Expansion microscopy (ExM) physically expands specimens to improve resolution with standard microscopes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To apply, validate, and optimize ExM protocols for Drosophila tissues.
- To analyze fine intracellular and intercellular structures using ExM.
- To investigate presynaptic active zone structure and age-dependent synaptic changes.
Main Methods:
- Developed and optimized ExM protocols for Drosophila embryos, larval brains, and body walls.
- Utilized standard confocal microscopy with ExM for high-resolution imaging.
- Analyzed presynaptic active zone structure, synaptic changes, and neuronal dendrite insertion.
Main Results:
- Achieved a lateral resolution of approximately 70 nm in Drosophila tissues using ExM and confocal microscopy.
- ExM revealed fine presynaptic active zone features not visible with standard confocal microscopy.
- Observed age-dependent changes in active zone structure and a higher frequency of dendrite insertion into epithelial cells.
Conclusions:
- Established ExM as a valuable tool for high-resolution imaging of Drosophila tissues.
- Demonstrated ExM's ability to reveal subcellular details and intercellular interactions.
- Highlighted the necessity of tissue-specific optimization for ExM protocols.
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