Resolution in super-resolution microscopy – facts, artifacts, technological advancements and biological applications
Super-resolution microscopy (SRM) has undeniable potential for scientific discovery, yet still presents many challenges that hinder its widespread adoption, including technical trade-offs between resolution, speed and photodamage, as well as limitations in imaging live samples and larger, more complex biological structures. Furthermore, SRM often requires specialized expertise and complex instrumentation, which can deter biologists from fully embracing the technology. In this Perspective, a follow-up to our recent Q&A article, we aim to demystify these challenges by addressing common questions and misconceptions surrounding SRM. Experts offer practical insights into how biologists can maximize the benefits of SRM while navigating issues such as photobleaching, image artifacts and the limitations of existing techniques. We also highlight recent developments in SRM that continue to push the boundaries of resolution. Our goal is to equip researchers with the crucial knowledge they need to harness the full potential of SRM.
Authors
- Reto Fiolka (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4636-5000)
- Kirti Prakash (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0325-9988)
- Suliana Manley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4755-4778)
- Aleksandra Rađenović (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8194-2785)
- Hari Shroff (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3613-8215)
- David Baddeley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8134-1987)
- Rainer Heintzmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4950-1936)
- Christian Eggeling (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3698-5599)
- Carlas Smith (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0591-5093)
- Lothar Schermelleh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1612-9699)
Institutions
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
- University of Auckland (NZ)
- Janelia Research Campus (US)
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (DE)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Maksymilian Pluta Institute of Applied Optics (PL)
- École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (CH)
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena (DE)
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (US)
- Delft University of Technology (NL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Cell Science
- Published
- 2025-05-15
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1242/jcs.263567
- Citations
- 12
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 19.61
Funders
- University of Oxford