Cornell University Background
Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) is an optical super-resolution microscopy (SRM) technique useful in understanding nanoscale interactions in biological systems
However, STORM traditionally requires toxic imaging buffers and setups not appropriate for live-cell studies
Unmet need: a non-toxic system enabling STORM for live-cell studies
Technology Overview
Cornell researchers have developed ultrasmall (< 10 nm) fluorescent core-shell aluminosilicate nanoparticles (aC’ dots) which covalently encapsulate organic fluorophores for STORM The method uses a single excitation source in a non-toxic imaging buffer to achieve dye blinking, which typically requires two or more excitation sources Functionalization of aC’ dots with antibodies allows for targeted fixed-cell STORM imaging PoC: the aC’ dots enabled quantitative measures of the size of intracellular vesicles and the number of particles per vesicle in live cells Further Details: Erstling, J. A.; Hinckley, J. A.; Bag, N.; Hersh, J.; Feuer, G. B.; Lee, R.; Malarkey, H. F.; Yu, F.; Ma, K.; Baird, B. A.; Wiesner, U. B. Ultrasmall, Bright, and Photostable Fluorescent Core-Shell Aluminosilicate Nanoparticles for Live-Cell Optical Super-Resolution Microscopy. Adv. Mater. 2021, 33, 2006829. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202006829 Benefits Dye blinking achieved with only a single excitation source Brighter and more stable probes than free dyes Allows for functionalization (e.g., with antibodies) enabling targeting Quantitative assessment of cellular structures and processes Applications Nanomedicine Live-cell studies