Combined FLIM, Confocal Microscopy, and STED Nanoscopy for Live-Cell Imaging

Time-lapse fluorescence microscopy is a relevant technique to visualize biological events in living samples. Maintaining cell survival by limiting light-induced cellular stress is challenging and requires protocol development and image acquisition optimization. Here, we provide a guide by considering the quartet sample, probe, instrument, and image processing to obtain appropriate resolutions and information for live cell fluorescence imaging. The pleural mesothelial cell line H28, an adherent cell line that is easy to seed, was used to develop innovative advanced light microscopy strategies. The chosen red and near-infrared probes, capable of passively penetrating through the cell plasma membrane, are particularly suitable because their stimulation from 600 to 800 nm induces less cytotoxicity. The labeling protocol describes the concentration, time, and incubation conditions of the probes and associated adjustments for multi-labeling. To limit phototoxicity, acquisition parameters in advanced confocal laser scanning microscopy with a white laser are determined. Light power must be adjusted and minimized at red wavelengths for reduced irradiance (including a 775 nm depletion laser for STED nanoscopy), in simultaneous mode with hybrid detectors and combined with the fast FLIM module. These excellent conditions allow us to follow cellular and intracellular dynamics for a few minutes to several hours while maintaining good spatial and temporal resolutions. Lifetime analysis in lifetime imaging (modification of the lifetime depending on environmental conditions), lifetime dye unmixing (separation with respect to the lifetime value for the spectrally closed dye), and lifetime denoising (improvement of image quality) provide flexibility for multiplexing experiments. Key features • Cell preservation after labeling with less cytotoxic red, near-infrared dye viable probes. • Determination of lower but efficient probe concentration; adjust good balance between probes concentration and incubation time to achieve multi-labeling. • Long time-lapse acquisition in advanced confocal microscopy with sensitive new-generation detectors. • Confocal image combined with fast FLIM for multi-labeling with spectrally closed dyes, unmixed from lifetime values. • Confocal-STED image acquisition combined with fast FLIM to improve signal-to-noise ratio.