UV curable resin as a rapid and superior sealant for STORM

Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) relies on controlled photoswitching of fluorophores, enabled by specialized imaging buffers containing thiols and oxygen scavengers. The glucose oxidase and catalase (GLOX) system is still the most widely used, especially for Alexa Fluor 647 dyes. However, GLOX gradually acidifies the buffer due to oxygen infiltration, and this pH drop degrades single-molecule blinking and limits imaging duration to several hours even when sealed with conventional materials like nail polish. While alternative pH-stable scavenger systems have been developed, sealing strategies themselves remain an underexplored yet critical factor affecting buffer longevity and imaging quality. Here, we introduce ultraviolet (UV) curable resin as a novel and effective sealant for STORM. Inspired by its widespread use in electronic device encapsulation, we demonstrate that UV resin provides rapid, air-tight sealing within seconds and outperforms traditional sealants, including nail polish, CytoSeal 60, and 5-minute epoxy, when applied to GLOX-based buffers. Using COS-7 cells labeled with Alexa Fluor 647 and CF568, we show that UV resin preserves key single-molecule and image quality metrics for at least 48 h post-sealing. Inexpensive, solvent-free, odorless, and rapidly curable, UV resin offers a highly practical sealing option that significantly extends imaging duration and enhances workflow efficiency in STORM experiments.