Zooming in on the thin line – Membrane biology
NEWS
RAYSHAPE your image!
Watch Recording: Webinar on RAYSHAPE dynamic aberration correction
Observe motor proteins stepping along in living cells with MINFLUX
Spektrum interview with Nobel Laureate Stefan W. Hell about STED, MINFLUX and PALM/STORM.
EMBL Imaging Centre & abberior Instruments foster intense collaboration
Article in Physics Today about MINFLUX and tracking kinesin.
Membrane biology deals with the composition, dynamics, and adaptation of membranes and membranous compartments. These membranes are complex three-dimensional systems mainly composed of lipids and proteins, and allow life to exist in the first place by separating the inside of cells from the outside and by controlling which molecules and substances enter and leave. Besides artificial membrane systems in various compositions and layouts, cultured cells are model systems for membrane sciences. Membrane biology intersects with other biological research areas, most importantly biophysics, structural biology, neurobiology, and physiology.
Light microscopy is a central tool to visualize membranes. And since membranes are highly dynamic systems – they respond to physical forces, facilitate selective transport, provide anchor sites for proteins and other biomolecules, and much more – live cell imaging is of great importance.
No matter what membrane process you are studying – abberior can provide the ideal equipment for your imaging experiment. With us, you will find the ideal dye, a suitable and high-performing microscope system, and the matching technical modules for your purpose; all with the aim of recording the best possible data while treating the sample with care.
Talk to a scientist >Imaging biological boundaries
Two-color STED image of a living cell expressing actin K118TAG incorporating TCO*A labeled with abberior LIVE 590 click (green). The plasma membrane is highlighted with STAR RED membrane (magenta).
Test your sample >The borders within
Besides forming the outer boundary of the cell, lipid bilayers perform pivotal tasks within cells by defining sub-cellular compartments such as organelles, and regulating diffusion and transport. With the right fluorescent dyes, also these inner membranes can be visualized under the microscope, even in living cells. You may find some examples in our gallery.
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2-color STED image of a living cell expressing actin K118TAG incorporating TCO*A labeled with abberior LIVE 590 click (green). Plasma membrane is highlighted with abberior STAR RED membrane (magenta).
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Two color live-cell STED and confocal image of a mammalian cultured cell stained with abberior STAR RED membrane (orange) and abberior LIVE 590 actin (cyan).
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Comparison of STED and confocal of a living mammalian cell stained with abberior STAR ORANGE membrane.
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Comparison of STED and confocal of a living mammalian cell stained with abberior STAR 488 membrane. Images were acquired with our FACILITY and STED @ 595 nm.
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2D MINFLUX imaging of the peroxisomal membrane protein PMP70 labeled with abberior FLUX 640 in fixed mammalian cells using indirect immunofluorescence.
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Two color live-cell confocal and STED image of a mammalian cell expressing a SNAP-tag® OMP25 fusion protein decoration the outer membrane of mitochondria. OMP25 is visualized by our new abberior LIVE 610 SNAP ligand (orange). Tubulin filaments are highlighted with abberior LIVE 550 tubulin (cyan).
The SNAP-OMP25 plasmid was a gift from Francesca Bottanelli, FU Berlin.
Description
Two color live-cell confocal and STED image of a mammalian cell expressing a SNAP-tag® OMP25 fusion protein decoration the outer membrane of mitochondria. OMP25 is visualized by our new abberior LIVE 610 SNAP ligand (orange). Tubulin filaments are highlighted with abberior LIVE 550 tubulin (cyan).
The SNAP-OMP25 plasmid was a gift from Francesca Bottanelli, FU Berlin.
Description
Cultured mammalian cell immunostained for an inner and outer mitochondrial membrane marker. Outer membrane is highlighted with abberior STAR RED (red) and the inner membrane with abberior STAR ORANGE (gray).
STED and confocal images were acquired with abberior’s FACILITY microscope.
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Four-color staining of fixed mammalian cells recorded with FACILITY showing nuclear pores (NUP98, STAR RED), Golgi membrane (GM130, STAR 635), Golgi medial rims (Giantin, STAR ORANGE) and actin (STAR 580 phalloidin). Shown left, just using spectral information, STAR RED and STAR 635 (magenta) cannot be separated, because of their similar excitation properties. The same goes for STAR ORANGE and STAR 580 (grey).
With the lifetime information collected by TIMEBOW, these dyes can be distinguished, turning an image with two recording channels into a four-color image. To achieve superresolution only one STED laser at 775 nm was used.
All utilized dyes are manufactured by abberior.
Modules:
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2D tracking of a lipid-coupled Atto 647N molecule embedded in a supported lipid bilayer. The movement of the labeled lipid was tracked with a frequency of up to 10 kHz.
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2D MINFLUX imaging of the peroxisomal membrane protein PMP70 labeled with Alexa Fluor 647 in fixed mammalian cells using indirect immunofluorescence
Live from the border
abberior offers microscopes ideally suited for extended live cell imaging sessions in confocal or STED mode. MINFLUX even facilitates live intracellular molecule tracking with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. The 3D MINFLUX image you see shows a staining for the peroxisomal membrane protein PMP70 labeled with abberior FLUX 647 in fixed mammalian cells.
Get a demo >MINFLUX – unrivaled resolution and speed
The MINFLUX platform offers an unprecedented array of imaging possibilities and allows you to resolve structures as small as a molecule, along all three dimensions. This unmatched resolution capability combined with unprecedented speed reveals sample details never seen before helps to dissect fast and dynamic cellular processes in space and time. MINFLUX is the world’s most powerful fluorescence microscope. Details >
INFINITY – forever cutting edge
The INFINITY platform is the most customizable platform for all things microscopy and may be adapted to your particular demands in membrane imaging. INFINITY is always up to the challenge. Just tell us what you need and we will build you a customized, continuously upgradable system specialized for your research. Details >
FACILITY – when every detail matters
Our FACILITY platform offers you a workhorse instrument that boasts top-of-the-line superresolution STED and confocal imaging. It combines cutting-edge microscopy with unprecedented ease-of-use. Our LiGHTBOX software allows beginners to intuitively arrive at a top-notch image within three clicks, while also giving experts full control over the instrument. Routine live cell imaging is a snap with FACILITY. Details >
STEDYCON – rocks the microscope
The STEDYCON upgrades your existing widefield system to a confocal microscope and STED nanoscope with a resolution down to 30 nm. All that’s required is a free camera port and a good objective lens. With its super-intuitive user interface, the STEDYCON provides an intelligent microscope platform that enables everyone to acquire superb superresolution images after only minutes of training. Define your live cell experiment and enjoy fine imaging at the push of a button! Details >
Cutting-edge tools
for the borders within
Every one of our modules adds another superpower to your microscope. Live cell imaging, for example, is facilitated by pulsed STED lasers and FLEXPOSURE adaptive illumination. They limit the light shone onto the sample in time (pulsed STED) and space (FLEXPOSURE). Shown is a two-color STED image of a living cell expressing actinK118TAG incorporating TCO*A labeled with abberior LIVE 550 click (gray). SNAP-tag® in an outer mitochondrial membrane protein is visualized with LIVE 610 SNAP (red).
Ask for detailed information >Choose a superpower for your experiment – our modules
Every MINFLUX, INFINITY, and FACILITY microscope from abberior can be equipped with different modules, powerful functional units that expand the system’s core functionality to reach new imaging heights. You may, for instance, use TIMEBOW lifetime imaging to separate and remove the autofluorescence of lipofuscin from images. Your deep tissue images will be crisp and clear from top to bottom thanks to RAYSHAPE aberration correction with a deformable mirror. FLEXPOSURE adaptive illumination puts light only where it has an effect and may reduce the light burden by orders of magnitude, facilitating extended live cell imaging and volume scans without bleaching or phototoxic effects. Our modules can do all of this and even more! And if you can’t find what you need on our website, get in touch with us, and we’ll develop it for you.
MATRIX Detector
Many eyes see more than one. The MATRIX detector drastically improves signal-to-background ratio, resolution, and dynamic range.
TIMEBOW Imaging
TIMEBOW lifetime imaging for stunning results at confocal and STED super-resolution.
FLEXPOSURE Illumination
Brings down the light dose on your sample and lables dramatically. Key ingredient for volume and live-cell superresolution.
RAYSHAPE Mirror
Dynamic aberration correction with a deformable mirror over about 200 µm z-range. 140 digital actuators adjust the mirror surface within milliseconds.
Custom Solutions
We offer solutions for even the most challenging applications. Everything that can be done, we will do.
Broaden your knowledge
of microscopes, dyes, and superresolution
What you might think are two angry looking fly eyes is actually a STED image of two mammalian cells stained against markers in the inner (gray, abberior STAR ORANGE) and outer (red, STAR RED) mitochondrial membrane. Do you actually know how STED microscopy achieves such superresolution? What does it have to do with a donut? How may challenges in fluorescence microscopy like aberrations or photobleaching be overcome? Our knowledge base is your chance to close any gaps in your expertise in fluorescence microscopy expertise you might have!
Tell me more >How the donut changed the world
For over a century, we stood at the edge of microscope resolution and cursed the inexorable blur of diffracted light. Instruments improved, but the fog never lifted. Then, one man stopped trying to control how light behaves. Armed with a donut-shaped laser beam, he instead commanded where it shines and untethered resolution forever. Details >
Fluorescent labeling strategies have become more and more sophisticated and offer ever-new options to improve microscopic imaging. Among the latest are exchangeable HaloTag ligands that put an end to photobleaching for good. Details >
Today’s high-end fluorescence microscopy is unthinkable without lasers. Reason enough to take a closer look at these sophisticated light sources. Details >
Every technique that allows to observe cells is more or less invasive and fluorescence microscopy is no exception. Many imaging situations profit from a reduction in light dose as provided by FLEXPOSURE adaptive illumination. Details >
Ideal imaging conditions are often compromised by imperfections in the optical path. These can severely compromise a microscope’s performance, unless they are eliminated by RAYSHAPE’s deformable mirror. Details >
Superresolution for biology: when size, time, and context matter
The spatial resolution achievable with today’s light microscopes has unveiled life at the scale of individual molecules. Size is no longer a barrier to seeing biology at the most fundamental level. But life is not static. It emerges from movement and change. How do superresolution technologies hold up to the challenges of documenting dynamic biological mechanisms? Details >
Additional information and articles
RAYSHAPE webinar – dynamic aberration correction for deep tissue imaging
Hello RAYSHAPE! Bye-bye, aberrations!
RAYSHAPE special
RAYSHAPE dynamic aberration correction with a deformable mirror preserves resolution and increases brightness. 140 actuators adjust mirror surface within milliseconds for over 200 µm z-range.
MINFLUX webinar – Tracking with unprecedented spatio-temporal resolution!
Thanks MINFLUX it’s possible to track the movement of individual molecules in the cell, e.g. kinesin. See what EMBL scientists have achieved.
FLEXPOSURE special
Fluorescence requires light. Light inevitably bleaches fluorophores. What a dilemma. abberior has the solution: FLEXPOSURE! It brings down the light dose by up to two orders of magnitude, without compromising…
Summer Symposia: Adaptive Optics
All about aberration correction in STED and how the outstanding capabilities of abberior’s Adaptive Optics helps overcome the challenges of complex samples.