Structural Studies by Correlative Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy and Electron Microscopy

Abstract

In cell biology, visual techniques such as light and electron microscopy are essential tools for analysis of cellular structures and function. The development of a super-resolution fluorescence microscopy method, stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM), has allowed multicolor and three-dimensional imaging with nanometer-scale resolution and enabled the study of cellular processes at the molecular scale. Electron microscopy (EM) can reveal not labeled structures, like organelles, membranes, macromolecules in higher resolution. By combining STORM with EM, we were able to understand cellular complexity and localization of molecules of interest in relation to other structures in high resolution. Here, we demonstrate that this method can be used to elucidate the ultrastructural details of cellular events by bridging the gap between light and electron microscopy in cell biology applications.