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Wang M, Chen J, Wu W, Wang L, Zheng X, Xu G, Qu J, Gao BZ, Shao Y. Multi-color two-photon scanning structured illumination microscopy imaging of live cells. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2023; 16:e202300077. [PMID: 37293715 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202300077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Multi-color two-photon microscopy imaging of live cells is essential in biology. However, the limited diffraction resolution of conventional two-photon microscopy restricts its application to subcellular organelle imaging. Recently, we developed a laser scanning two-photon non-linear structured illumination microscope (2P-NLSIM), whose resolution improved three-fold. However, its ability to image polychromatic live cells under low excitation power has not been verified. Here, to improve the reconstruction super-resolution image quality under low excitation power, we increased the image modulation depth by multiplying the raw images with the reference fringe patterns in the reconstruction process. Simultaneously, we optimized the 2P-NLSIM system to image live cells, including the excitation power, imaging speed, and field of view. The proposed system could provide a new imaging tool for live cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meiting Wang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, National-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiajie Chen
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of the Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenshuai Wu
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of the Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of the Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaomin Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of the Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Gaixia Xu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, National-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Junle Qu
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of the Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bruce Zhi Gao
- Department of Bioengineering and COMSET, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Yonghong Shao
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of the Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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Abstract
Fluorescence imaging techniques play a pivotal role in our understanding of the nervous system. The emergence of various super-resolution microscopy methods and specialized fluorescent probes enables direct insight into neuronal structure and protein arrangements in cellular subcompartments with so far unmatched resolution. Super-resolving visualization techniques in neurons unveil a novel understanding of cytoskeletal composition, distribution, motility, and signaling of membrane proteins, subsynaptic structure and function, and neuron-glia interaction. Well-defined molecular targets in autoimmune and neurodegenerative disease models provide excellent starting points for in-depth investigation of disease pathophysiology using novel and innovative imaging methodology. Application of super-resolution microscopy in human brain samples and for testing clinical biomarkers is still in its infancy but opens new opportunities for translational research in neurology and neuroscience. In this review, we describe how super-resolving microscopy has improved our understanding of neuronal and brain function and dysfunction in the last two decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Werner
- Department of Biotechnology & Biophysics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Sauer
- Department of Biotechnology & Biophysics, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christian Geis
- Section Translational Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany
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3
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Jiang X, Kong L, Ying Y, Gu Q, Lv J, Dai Z, Si G. Super-Resolution Imaging with Graphene. BIOSENSORS 2021; 11:307. [PMID: 34562897 PMCID: PMC8471375 DOI: 10.3390/bios11090307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Super-resolution optical imaging is a consistent research hotspot for promoting studies in nanotechnology and biotechnology due to its capability of overcoming the diffraction limit, which is an intrinsic obstacle in pursuing higher resolution for conventional microscopy techniques. In the past few decades, a great number of techniques in this research domain have been theoretically proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Graphene, a special two-dimensional material, has become the most meritorious candidate and attracted incredible attention in high-resolution imaging domain due to its distinctive properties. In this article, the working principle of graphene-assisted imaging devices is summarized, and recent advances of super-resolution optical imaging based on graphene are reviewed for both near-field and far-field applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Jiang
- College of Information Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110004, China; (X.J.); (L.K.); (Q.G.); (J.L.)
| | - Lu Kong
- College of Information Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110004, China; (X.J.); (L.K.); (Q.G.); (J.L.)
| | - Yu Ying
- College of Information and Control Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China;
| | - Qiongchan Gu
- College of Information Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110004, China; (X.J.); (L.K.); (Q.G.); (J.L.)
| | - Jiangtao Lv
- College of Information Science and Engineering, Northeastern University, Shenyang 110004, China; (X.J.); (L.K.); (Q.G.); (J.L.)
| | - Zhigao Dai
- Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan 430074, China;
| | - Guangyuan Si
- Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication, Victorian Node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia
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Zhang X, Zhang M, Yan Y, Wang M, Li J, Yu Y, Xiao Y, Luo X, Qian X, Yang Y. Dihydro-Si-rhodamine for live-cell localization microscopy. Chem Commun (Camb) 2021; 57:7553-7556. [PMID: 34240730 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc02596a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Fluorophores with photo-modulatory fluorescence properties are valuable for cutting-edge localization microscopy. The existing probes are either photo-activatable, or photo-switchable, but not both. We report a probe (DH-SiR), a leuco-dye obtained by reduction of Si-rhodamine, with both photo-activatable and photo-switchable fluorescence. The potential for super-resolution microscopy was showcased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - Mengmeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - Yu Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Mingkang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - Jin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - Yang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - Yi Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China.
| | - Xiao Luo
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Xuhong Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - Youjun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China.
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Codron P, Letournel F, Marty S, Renaud L, Bodin A, Duchesne M, Verny C, Lenaers G, Duyckaerts C, Julien J, Cassereau J, Chevrollier A. STochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) reveals the nanoscale organization of pathological aggregates in human brain. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol 2021; 47:127-142. [PMID: 32688444 PMCID: PMC7891317 DOI: 10.1111/nan.12646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Histological analysis of brain tissue samples provides valuable information about the pathological processes leading to common neurodegenerative disorders. In this context, the development of novel high-resolution imaging approaches is a current challenge in neuroscience. METHODS To this end, we used a recent super-resolution imaging technique called STochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM) to analyse human brain sections. We combined STORM cell imaging protocols with neuropathological techniques to image cryopreserved brain samples from control subjects and patients with neurodegenerative diseases. RESULTS This approach allowed us to perform 2D-, 3D- and two-colour-STORM in neocortex, white matter and brainstem samples. STORM proved to be particularly effective at visualizing the organization of dense protein inclusions and we imaged with a <50 nm resolution pathological aggregates within the central nervous system of patients with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia and fronto-temporal lobar degeneration. Aggregated Aβ branches appeared reticulated and cross-linked in the extracellular matrix, with widths from 60 to 240 nm. Intraneuronal Tau and TDP-43 inclusions were denser, with a honeycomb pattern in the soma and a filamentous organization in the axons. Finally, STORM imaging of α-synuclein pathology revealed the internal organization of Lewy bodies that could not be observed by conventional fluorescence microscopy. CONCLUSIONS STORM imaging of human brain samples opens further gates to a more comprehensive understanding of common neurological disorders. The convenience of this technique should open a straightforward extension of its application for super-resolution imaging of the human brain, with promising avenues to current challenges in neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. Codron
- Service de NeurologieCentre Hospitalier Universitaire d’AngersAngersFrance
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie et NeuropathologieCentre Hospitalier Universitaire d’AngersAngersFrance
- Équipe MitolabInstitut MITOVASCINSERM U1083CNRS 6015Université d'AngersAngersFrance
| | - F. Letournel
- Service de NeurologieCentre Hospitalier Universitaire d’AngersAngersFrance
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie et NeuropathologieCentre Hospitalier Universitaire d’AngersAngersFrance
| | - S. Marty
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinièreINSERM U1127CNRS UMR7225Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | - L. Renaud
- CERVO Brain Research Centre2601 Chemin de la CanardièreQuébecQCCanada
| | - A. Bodin
- Équipe MitolabInstitut MITOVASCINSERM U1083CNRS 6015Université d'AngersAngersFrance
| | - M. Duchesne
- Laboratoire d'Anatomie PathologiqueCentre Hospitalier Universitaire DupuytrenLimogesFrance
- Centre de Référence des Neuropathies Périphériques RaresCentre Hospitalier Universitaire DupuytrenLimogesFrance
| | - C. Verny
- Service de NeurologieCentre Hospitalier Universitaire d’AngersAngersFrance
- Équipe MitolabInstitut MITOVASCINSERM U1083CNRS 6015Université d'AngersAngersFrance
| | - G. Lenaers
- Équipe MitolabInstitut MITOVASCINSERM U1083CNRS 6015Université d'AngersAngersFrance
| | - C. Duyckaerts
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinièreINSERM U1127CNRS UMR7225Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | - J.‐P. Julien
- CERVO Brain Research Centre2601 Chemin de la CanardièreQuébecQCCanada
- Department of Psychiatry and NeuroscienceLaval UniversityQuébecQCCanada
| | - J. Cassereau
- Service de NeurologieCentre Hospitalier Universitaire d’AngersAngersFrance
- Équipe MitolabInstitut MITOVASCINSERM U1083CNRS 6015Université d'AngersAngersFrance
| | - A. Chevrollier
- Équipe MitolabInstitut MITOVASCINSERM U1083CNRS 6015Université d'AngersAngersFrance
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Mass Spectrometry to Study Chromatin Compaction. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:biology9060140. [PMID: 32604817 PMCID: PMC7345930 DOI: 10.3390/biology9060140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Chromatin accessibility is a major regulator of gene expression. Histone writers/erasers have a critical role in chromatin compaction, as they “flag” chromatin regions by catalyzing/removing covalent post-translational modifications on histone proteins. Anomalous chromatin decondensation is a common phenomenon in cells experiencing aging and viral infection. Moreover, about 50% of cancers have mutations in enzymes regulating chromatin state. Numerous genomics methods have evolved to characterize chromatin state, but the analysis of (in)accessible chromatin from the protein perspective is not yet in the spotlight. We present an overview of the most used approaches to generate data on chromatin accessibility and then focus on emerging methods that utilize mass spectrometry to quantify the accessibility of histones and the rest of the chromatin bound proteome. Mass spectrometry is currently the method of choice to quantify entire proteomes in an unbiased large-scale manner; accessibility on chromatin of proteins and protein modifications adds an extra quantitative layer to proteomics dataset that assist more informed data-driven hypotheses in chromatin biology. We speculate that this emerging new set of methods will enhance predictive strength on which proteins and histone modifications are critical in gene regulation, and which proteins occupy different chromatin states in health and disease.
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Shtaya A, Bridges LR, Esiri MM, Lam-Wong J, Nicoll JAR, Boche D, Hainsworth AH. Rapid neuroinflammatory changes in human acute intracerebral hemorrhage. Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2019; 6:1465-1479. [PMID: 31402627 PMCID: PMC6689697 DOI: 10.1002/acn3.50842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is the commonest form of hemorrhagic stroke and is associated with a poor prognosis. Neurosurgical removal of intracerebral hematoma has limited benefit and no pharmacotherapies are available. In acute ICH, primary tissue damage is followed by secondary pathology, where the cellular and neuroinflammatory changes are poorly understood. Methods We studied histological changes in postmortem tissue from a cohort of spontaneous supra‐tentorial primary ICH cases (n = 27) with survival of 1–12 days, compared to a matched control group (n = 16) examined in corresponding regions. Hematoxylin–eosin and microglial (Iba1) immunolabelled sections were assessed at 0–2, 3–5, and 7–12 days post‐ICH. Results Peri‐hematoma, the observed ICH‐related changes include edema, tissue neutrophils and macrophages from day 1. Ischemic neurons and swollen endothelial cells were common at day 1 and universal after day 5, as were intramural erythrocytes within small vessel walls. Activated microglia were evident at day 1 post‐ICH. There was a significant increase in Iba1 positive area fraction at 0–2 (threefold), 3–5 (fourfold), and 7–12 days post ICH (ninefold) relative to controls. Giant microglia were detected peri‐hematoma from day 5 and consistently 7–12 days post‐ICH. Interpretation Our data indicate that neuroinflammatory processes commence from day 1 post‐ICH with changing microglial size and morphology following ICH and up to day 12. From day 5 some microglia exhibit a novel multiply nucleated morphology, which may be related to changing phagocytic function. Understanding the time course of neuroinflammatory changes, post‐ICH may reveal novel targets for therapy and brain restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anan Shtaya
- Neuroscience Research Centre, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
| | - Leslie R Bridges
- Department of Cellular Pathology, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Margaret M Esiri
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Joanne Lam-Wong
- Department of Cellular Pathology, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - James A R Nicoll
- Clinical Neurosciences, Clinical & Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Delphine Boche
- Clinical Neurosciences, Clinical & Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Atticus H Hainsworth
- Neuroscience Research Centre, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St. George's, University of London, London, UK
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Prasad A, Chaichi A, Kelley DP, Francis J, Gartia MR. Current and future functional imaging techniques for post-traumatic stress disorder. RSC Adv 2019; 9:24568-24594. [PMID: 35527877 PMCID: PMC9069787 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra03562a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a trauma and stressor related psychiatric disorder associated with structural, metabolic, and molecular alternations in several brain regions including diverse cortical areas, neuroendocrine regions, the striatum, dopaminergic, adrenergic and serotonergic pathways, and the limbic system. We are in critical need of novel therapeutics and biomarkers for PTSD and a deep understanding of cutting edge imaging and spectroscopy methods is necessary for the development of promising new approaches to better diagnose and treat the disorder. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) criterion, all forms of traumatic stress-induced disorder are considered acute stress disorder for the first month following the stressor. Only after symptoms do not remit for one month can the disorder be deemed PTSD. It would be particularly useful to differentiate between acute stress disorder and PTSD during the one month waiting period so that more intensive treatments can be applied early on to patients with a high likelihood of developing PTSD. This would potentially enhance treatment outcomes and/or prevent the development of PTSD. Comprehension of the qualities and limitations of currently applied methods as well as the novel emerging techniques provide invaluable knowledge for fast paced development. Conventional methods of studying PTSD have proven to be insufficient for diagnosis, measurement of treatment efficacy, and monitoring disease progression. As the field currently stands, there is no diagnostic biomarker available for any psychiatric disease, PTSD included. Currently, emerging and available technologies are not utilized to their full capacity and in appropriate experimental designs for the most fruitful possible studies in this area. Therefore, there is an apparent need for improved methods in PTSD research. This review demonstrates the current state of the literature in PTSD, including molecular, cellular, and behavioral indicators, possible biomarkers and clinical and pre-clinical imaging techniques relevant to PTSD, and through this, elucidate the void of current practical imaging and spectroscopy methods that provide true biomarkers for the disorder and the significance of devising new techniques for future investigations. We are unlikely to develop a single biomarker for any psychiatric disorder however. As psychiatric disorders are incomparably complex compared to other medical diagnoses, its most likely that transcriptomic, metabolomic and structural and connectomic imaging data will have to be analyzed in concert in order to produce a dependable non-behavioral marker of PTSD. This can explain the necessity of bridging conventional approaches to novel technologies in order to create a framework for further discoveries in the treatment of PTSD. Conventional methods of studying posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have proven to be insufficient for diagnosis. We have reviewed clinical and preclinical imaging techniques as well as molecular, cellular, and behavioral indicators for PTSD.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisha Prasad
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- Louisiana State University
- Baton Rouge
- USA
| | - Ardalan Chaichi
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- Louisiana State University
- Baton Rouge
- USA
| | - D. Parker Kelley
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences
- School of Veterinary Medicine
- Louisiana State University
- Baton Rouge
- USA
| | - Joseph Francis
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences
- School of Veterinary Medicine
- Louisiana State University
- Baton Rouge
- USA
| | - Manas Ranjan Gartia
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- Louisiana State University
- Baton Rouge
- USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Pieter E. Oomen
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
| | - Mohaddeseh A. Aref
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
| | - Ibrahim Kaya
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal Hospital, House V3, 43180 Mölndal, Sweden
- The Gothenburg Imaging Mass Spectrometry (Go:IMS) Laboratory, University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
| | - Nhu T. N. Phan
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
- The Gothenburg Imaging Mass Spectrometry (Go:IMS) Laboratory, University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
- University of Göttingen Medical Center, Institute of Neuro- and Sensory Physiology, Göttingen 37073, Germany
| | - Andrew G. Ewing
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
- The Gothenburg Imaging Mass Spectrometry (Go:IMS) Laboratory, University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
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Heller JP, Rusakov DA. The Nanoworld of the Tripartite Synapse: Insights from Super-Resolution Microscopy. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:374. [PMID: 29225567 PMCID: PMC5705901 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic connections between individual nerve cells are fundamental to the process of information transfer and storage in the brain. Over the past decades a third key partner of the synaptic machinery has been unveiled: ultrathin processes of electrically passive astroglia which often surround pre- and postsynaptic structures. The recent advent of super-resolution (SR) microscopy has begun to uncover the dynamic nanoworld of synapses and their astroglial environment. Here we overview and discuss the current progress in our understanding of the synaptic nanoenvironment, as gleaned from the imaging methods that go beyond the diffraction limit of conventional light microscopy. We argue that such methods are essential to achieve a new level of comprehension pertinent to the principles of signal integration in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janosch P Heller
- UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dmitri A Rusakov
- UCL Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Institute of Neuroscience, University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
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