Expansion microscopy: principles and uses in biological research | Nature Methods
Expansion microscopy allows super-resolution images of diverse samples to be acquired on conventional microscopes, thus democratizing super-resolution imaging. This Perspective reviews available methods and provides practical guidance for users.
Subjects Molecular neuroscience Super-resolution microscopy Abstract Many biological investigations require 3D imaging of cells or tissues with nanoscale spatial resolution. We recently discovered that preserved biological specimens can be physically expanded in an isotropic fashion through a chemical process. Expansion microscopy (ExM) allows nanoscale imaging of biological specimens with conventional microscopes, decrowds biomolecules in support of signal amplification and multiplexed readout chemistries, and makes specimens transparent. We review the principles of how ExM works, advances in
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