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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 20, 2025

Author Spotlight: Universal Molecular Retention with 11-Fold Expansion Microscopy

Author Spotlight: Universal Molecular Retention with 11-Fold Expansion Microscopy

Published on: October 6, 2023

Mechanical expansion microscopy.

Yuhang Fan¹, Youngbin Lim¹, Livia S Wyss²

¹Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States.

Methods in Cell Biology

|January 22, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Two new mechanical expansion microscopy techniques reveal cellular mechanics and ultra-structures. These methods enable detailed imaging of bacterial cell walls and tissues, advancing super-resolution microscopy.

Keywords:

Anti-photobleaching Bacteria Cell wall Immunofluorescence Interpenetrating polymer networks Mechanically locked expansion microscopy Mechanically resolved expansion microscopy Nervous system Planarian flatworm Super-resolution fluorescence imaging

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Area of Science:

Biophysics
Microscopy
Cell Biology

Background:

Expansion microscopy (ExM) enables super-resolution imaging but can be limited by sample stability in various buffers.
Understanding local mechanical properties of biological samples is crucial for cell biology and disease research.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce and detail two novel mechanical expansion microscopy methods.
To demonstrate their utility in resolving cellular ultra-structures and mechanical properties.

Main Methods:

Mechanically resolved expansion microscopy (mExM) utilizes non-uniform sample expansion for mechanical contrast.
Mechanically locked expansion microscopy (mlExM) employs a stable gel network to preserve sample integrity in ionic buffers.
Both methods are combined with super-resolution techniques like single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM).

Main Results:

mExM successfully distinguished bacterial species by cell wall rigidity and detected cell wall damage.
mlExM allowed for anti-photobleaching buffer use, enabling super-resolution imaging of bacterial cells and thick animal tissues.
Novel ultra-structures beyond the optical diffraction limit were visualized.

Conclusions:

These mechanical expansion microscopy techniques offer enhanced capabilities for high-resolution imaging and mechanical property analysis.
They provide new avenues for studying cellular structures and functions in diverse biological systems.
Future directions include broader applications in microbiology, neuroscience, and pathology.