Super resolution microscopy is poised to reveal new insights into the formation and maturation of dendritic spines

Super-resolution microscopy for analyzing neuromuscular junctions and synapses

Super-resolution microscopy techniques offer subdiffraction limited resolution that is two- to ten-fold improved compared to that offered by conventional confocal microscopy. This breakthrough in resolution for light microscopy has contributed to new findings in neuroscience and synapse biology. This review will focus on the Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM), Stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy, and Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) / Single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) techniques and compare them for the better understanding of their differences and their suitability for the analysis of synapse biology. In addition, we will discuss a few practical aspects of these microscopic techniques, including resolution, image acquisition speed, multicolor capability, and other advantages and disadvantages. Tips for the improvement of microscopy will be introduced; for example, information resources for recommended dyes, the limitations of multicolor analysis, and capabilities for live imaging. In addition, we will summarize how super-resolution microscopy has been used for analyses of neuromuscular junctions and synapses.