LIGHT SUPERMICROSCOPE

Up: John Sedat. Interview.

Read explanations from LMU researchers.

Biologists of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) and a group of physicists of the University of California (John Sedat), have created a supermicroscop of light (3-D-SIM), able to see very small structures. Until today alone expensive electronic microscopes, achieved spatial resolutions of images near the Ernst Abbe-Limit (200 nm). Beyond this limits, structures were viewed until recently, alone as points. Heinrich Leonhardt of Biozentrum/LMU, even obtains images of DNA to colors. The 3-D-SIM is a conventional microscope that uses standard tints, with a particular and structured form of illumination (patterns of shades), from which are calculated or generated -in a computer- cellular but small structures. With this microscope are appreciated cellular nuclei, genetic material, nuclear cover, nuclear pores to 3 colors, chromosomes, genotype to colors, differentiation of regions of DNA with active and inactive genes. Lothar Schermelleh and Leonhardt, have another microscope: the STED that also go but there of Abbe-Limit, is very good technically, although uses special tints. They expect to process films in alive and study cellular mutations and cancer with this microscope.

SUPERMICROSCOPIO de LUZ, TRIDIMENSIONAL.

Biólogos del Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), de conjunto con físicos de la Universidad de California (John Sedat), han creado un supermicroscopio de luz (3-D-SIM), capáz de ver estructuras muy pequeñas. Hasta hoy solo costosos microscopios electrónicos, lograban resoluciones espaciales de imágenes cercanas al Ernst Abbe-Limit (200 nm). Mas allá de este limite, las estructuras eran vistas hasta hace poco, solo como puntos. Heinrich Leonhardt del Biozentrum del LMU, obtiene incluso, imágenes de DNA a colores. El 3-D-SIM, es un microscopio convencional que emplea tinciones standard, con una forma particular y estructurada de iluminación (patrones de sombras), a partir de los cuales se calculan o generan -en una computadora - las estructuras celulares mas pequeñas, apreciándose nucleos celulares, material genético, cubierta nuclear, poros nucleares a 3 colores, cromosomas nitidos, genotipo a colores, diferenciación de regiones de DNA con genes activos e inactivos. Lothar Schermelleh y Leonhardt, han desarrollado otro microscopio : el STED, que también vé más allá del Abbe-Limit, es bueno técnicamente, aunque emplea tinciones especiales Se espera más adelante procesar films in vivo y estudiar mutaciones celulares y cáncer.