Single-Molecule Localization Microscopy of Subcellular Protein Distribution in Neurons

Jelmer Willems, Manon Westra, Harold D MacGillavry

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Over the past years several forms of superresolution fluorescence microscopy have been developed that offer the possibility to study cellular structures and protein distribution at a resolution well below the diffraction limit of conventional fluorescence microscopy (<200 nm). A particularly powerful superresolution technique is single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM). SMLM enables the quantitative investigation of subcellular protein distribution at a spatial resolution up to tenfold higher than conventional imaging, even in live cells. Not surprisingly, SMLM has therefore been used in many applications in biology, including neuroscience. This chapter provides a step-by-step SMLM protocol to visualize the nanoscale organization of endogenous proteins in dissociated neurons but can be extended to image other adherent cultured cells. We outline a number of methods to visualize endogenous proteins in neurons for live-cell and fixed application, including immunolabeling, the use of intrabodies for live-cell SMLM, and endogenous tagging using CRISPR/Cas9.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationFluorescent Microscopy
EditorsBryan Heit
Place of PublicationNew York
PublisherHumana Press
Pages271-288
Number of pages18
Edition1
ISBN (Electronic)978-1-0716-2051-9
ISBN (Print)978-1-0716-2050-2, 978-1-0716-2053-3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Feb 2022

Publication series

NameMethods in Molecular Biology
PublisherHumana Press
Volume2440
ISSN (Print)1064-3745
ISSN (Electronic)1940-6029

Keywords

  • Neuron
  • Photoactivated localization microscopy
  • Single-molecule localization microscopy
  • Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy
  • Superresolution microscopy
  • Synapse

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