Two-color nanoscopy

In the latest of a series of papers from his lab, Stefan Hell and researchers of the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Germany detail an approach to microscopy that achieves a resolution of half the wavelength of light.1 Their simulated emission depletion (STED) microscope works by discharging a 100 picosecond laser pulse at a molecular sample tagged with green fluorescent protein (GFP). As soon as the molecules fluoresce, a second laser pulse excites red-emitting fluorophores and further fine tune the final image. The process allows visualization of multiple objects only 20 nanometers apart.


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