Accessible STORM Imaging: An Optimized Workflow for Conventional Widefield Epifluorescence/TIRF Setups

Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) is a single-molecule localization microscopy technique that enables visualization of cellular structures beyond the diffraction limit. This approach has revealed previously inaccessible ultrastructural details in a wide range of cellular components, including the actin cytoskeleton, clathrin-coated pits, mitochondria, and bacterial nucleoid-associated proteins. STORM relies on the sequential emission of single photons from photosensitive fluorophores, which are precisely localized before entering a dark state or undergoing photobleaching. By activating fluorophores individually and fitting their point spread functions (PSFs), the center of mass can be calculated with a localization precision of up to ~20 nm. The parallel detection of thousands of single-molecule events, each assigned to distinct spatial coordinates, enables the reconstruction of a high-resolution image. Here, we describe a simple and efficient STORM workflow-including sample preparation, image acquisition, and quality control measurements-that we used to visualize various subcellular structures, such as mitochondria, microtubules, and lysosomes labeled with the commonly employed cyanine dye Alexa Fluor 647, as well as the actin cytoskeleton stained with Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated phalloidin. Image acquisition was performed using a conventional epifluorescence/total internal reflection (TIRF) microscope adapted for STORM imaging. Key adaptations included the use of a 160×/1.43 NA oil-immersion objective and a high-power mode, which concentrates the laser beam onto a small region of the sample, ensuring sufficient light intensity to drive fluorophores into the dark state. In addition, implementing a 1.6× magnification lens and a 4×4 binning camera mode allowed us to achieve a 100-nm pixel size optimal for reliable molecule detection. We believe that this protocol will be highly valuable to the microscopy community, as it lowers technical barriers to performing STORM on widely available microscopy platforms, thereby facilitating broader implementation of this powerful super-resolution technique. Key features • Optimized immunofluorescence, including multiple washing steps using 0.1% Tween-20 and a secondary antibody fixation step for single and dual-color STORM. • Imaging acquisition performed with a conventional epifluorescence/TIRF microscope adapted for STORM imaging. • Use of a 160×/1.43 NA oil-immersion objective and a high-power mode that concentrates the laser beam onto a small region of the sample. • Implementation of a 1.6× magnification lens and 4 × 4 camera binning to achieve 100 nm pixel size.