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Hümpfer N, Thielhorn R, Ewers H. Expanding boundaries - a cell biologist's guide to expansion microscopy. J Cell Sci 2024; 137:jcs260765. [PMID: 38629499 PMCID: PMC11058692 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Expansion microscopy (ExM) is a revolutionary novel approach to increase resolution in light microscopy. In contrast to super-resolution microscopy methods that rely on sophisticated technological advances, including novel instrumentation, ExM instead is entirely based on sample preparation. In ExM, labeled target molecules in fixed cells are anchored in a hydrogel, which is then physically enlarged by osmotic swelling. The isotropic swelling of the hydrogel pulls the labels apart from one another, and their relative organization can thus be resolved using conventional microscopes even if it was below the diffraction limit of light beforehand. As ExM can additionally benefit from the technical resolution enhancements achieved by super-resolution microscopy, it can reach into the nanometer range of resolution with an astoundingly low degree of error induced by distortion during the physical expansion process. Because the underlying chemistry is well understood and the technique is based on a relatively simple procedure, ExM is easily reproducible in non-expert laboratories and has quickly been adopted to address an ever-expanding spectrum of problems across the life sciences. In this Review, we provide an overview of this rapidly expanding new field, summarize the most important insights gained so far and attempt to offer an outlook on future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Hümpfer
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ria Thielhorn
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Helge Ewers
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
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Wang M, Li W, Tang G, Garciamendez-Mijares CE, Zhang YS. Engineering (Bio)Materials through Shrinkage and Expansion. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2100380. [PMID: 34137213 PMCID: PMC8295236 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202100380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Although various (bio)fabrication technologies have achieved revolutionary progress in the past decades, engineered constructs still fall short of expectations owing to their inability to attain precisely designable functions. Shrinkable and expandable (bio)materials feature unique characteristics leading to size-/shape-shifting and thus have exhibited a strong potential to equip current engineering technologies with promoted capacities toward applications in biomedicine. In this progress report, the advances of size-/shape-shifting (bio)materials enabled by various stimuli, are evaluated; furthermore, representative biomedical applications associated with size-/shape-shifting (bio)materials are also exemplified. Toward the future, the combination of size-/shape-shifting (bio)materials and 3D/4D fabrication technologies presents a wide range of possibilities for further development of intricate functional architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mian Wang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Wanlu Li
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Guosheng Tang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Carlos Ezio Garciamendez-Mijares
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Yu Shrike Zhang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
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Putlyaeva LV, Lukyanov KA. Studying SARS-CoV-2 with Fluorescence Microscopy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6558. [PMID: 34207305 PMCID: PMC8234815 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus deeply affected the world community. It gave a strong impetus to the development of not only approaches to diagnostics and therapy, but also fundamental research of the molecular biology of this virus. Fluorescence microscopy is a powerful technology enabling detailed investigation of virus-cell interactions in fixed and live samples with high specificity. While spatial resolution of conventional fluorescence microscopy is not sufficient to resolve all virus-related structures, super-resolution fluorescence microscopy can solve this problem. In this paper, we review the use of fluorescence microscopy to study SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses. The prospects for the application of the recently developed advanced methods of fluorescence labeling and microscopy-which in our opinion can provide important information about the molecular biology of SARS-CoV-2-are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Konstantin A. Lukyanov
- Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 121205 Moscow, Russia;
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Liu J, Fang X, Liu Z, Li R, Yang Y, Sun Y, Zhao Z, Wu C. Expansion Microscopy with Multifunctional Polymer Dots. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2007854. [PMID: 33988880 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202007854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Expansion microscopy (ExM) provides nanoscale resolution on conventional microscopes via physically enlarging specimens with swellable polyelectrolyte gels. However, challenges involving fluorophore degradation and dilution during sample expansion have yet to be overcome. Herein, sequential cellular targeting, gel anchoring, and high-fidelity fluorescence reported using multifunctional polymer dots (Pdots) designed for ExM applications are demonstrated. The impressive brightness of the Pdots facilitates multicolor ExM, thereby enabling visualization of a variety of subcellular structures and neuron synapses. The average fluorescence intensities of Pdots in ExM range from ≈3 to 6 times higher than those achieved using commercially available Alexa dyes. Moreover, the fluorescence brightness and optical fluctuation are significantly improved by a surfactant-containing expansion buffer, which enables further resolution enhancement via super-resolution optical fluctuation imaging (SOFI). The combination of ExM and SOFI allows subcellular structures of ≈30 nm to be resolved by conventional microscopes. These results highlight the immense potential of multifunctional Pdots for ExM-enhanced super-resolution imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Xiaofeng Fang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Zhihe Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Rongqin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Biomedical Pioneer Innovation Center (BIOPIC), School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yicheng Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
| | - Yujie Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Biomedical Pioneer Innovation Center (BIOPIC), School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Zhongying Zhao
- Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Changfeng Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China
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Gupta S, Mathews BJ, Ghantaa SN, Amerneni KC, Karuna T, Pakhare A, Joshi D, Khadanga S. Foldscope: Diagnostic Accuracy and Feasibility of its Use in National Malaria Control Program. J Microsc Ultrastruct 2021; 10:114-117. [PMID: 36504592 PMCID: PMC9728086 DOI: 10.4103/jmau.jmau_103_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria has been an important public health all over the globe. Although conventional light microscopy is the gold standard of diagnosis, light microscopes are heavy, fragile, costly, and electricity dependent. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have become more popular but perform badly in temperate climate. This is because the RDT kits require maintenance of cold chain for its optimal use. In this regard, there is a recent interest in handheld malaria microscopy at the point of care in the field setting. Foldscopes are cheap, handy, nonfragile, and use mobile camera for illumination. The purpose of the study was to find whether foldscope can be used in the national vector borne disease control program (NVBDCP) in India. Methods Ten laboratory technicians were trained in identifying malaria parasites using foldscope and their mobiles. Later, they were provided with unassembled foldscope to document their test results for the preidentified malaria slides. The blood smears were stained as per the protocol of NVBDCP. The report of the index test (foldscope microscopy) was compared with the reference test (conventional microscopy). Results The sensitivity and specificity of the index test was found to be 13.3% (6.257-26.18), specificity of 97.78% (88.43-99.61), positive predictive value 85.71% (48.69-97.43), and negative predictive value 53.01% (42.38-63.38). The devise failure rate and test failure rate were 20% and 11.7%. The kappa agreement between the index and reference microscopy was only 11% and the McNemar P < 0.01. Conclusion The ×400 foldscope at its present magnification and illumination cannot be utilized in the field under NVBDCP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sweta Gupta
- Department of Microbiology, AIIMS, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | | | | | | | - T. Karuna
- Department of Microbiology, AIIMS, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | | | - Deepti Joshi
- Department of Pathology, AIIMS, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Sagar Khadanga
- Department of Medicine, AIIMS, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India,Address for correspondence: Dr. Sagar Khadanga, Department of Medicine, AIIMS, Saket Nagar, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. E-mail:
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Hochstetter A. Lab-on-a-Chip Technologies for the Single Cell Level: Separation, Analysis, and Diagnostics. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:E468. [PMID: 32365567 PMCID: PMC7281269 DOI: 10.3390/mi11050468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the last three decades, microfluidics and its applications have been on an exponential rise, including approaches to isolate rare cells and diagnose diseases on the single-cell level. The techniques mentioned herein have already had significant impacts in our lives, from in-the-field diagnosis of disease and parasitic infections, through home fertility tests, to uncovering the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and their host cells. This review gives an overview of the field in general and the most notable developments of the last five years, in three parts: 1. What can we detect? 2. Which detection technologies are used in which setting? 3. How do these techniques work? Finally, this review discusses potentials, shortfalls, and an outlook on future developments, especially in respect to the funding landscape and the field-application of these chips.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Hochstetter
- Experimentalphysik, Universität des Saarlandes, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
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Tillberg PW, Chen F. Expansion Microscopy: Scalable and Convenient Super-Resolution Microscopy. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2019; 35:683-701. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-100818-125320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Expansion microscopy (ExM) is a physical form of magnification that increases the effective resolving power of any microscope. Here, we describe the fundamental principles of ExM, as well as how recently developed ExM variants build upon and apply those principles. We examine applications of ExM in cell and developmental biology for the study of nanoscale structures as well as ExM's potential for scalable mapping of nanoscale structures across large sample volumes. Finally, we explore how the unique anchoring and hydrogel embedding properties enable postexpansion molecular interrogation in a purified chemical environment. ExM promises to play an important role complementary to emerging live-cell imaging techniques, because of its relative ease of adoption and modification and its compatibility with tissue specimens up to at least 200 μm thick.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fei Chen
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Boston, Massachusetts 02142, USA
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Trujillo-de Santiago G, Lobo-Zegers MJ, Montes-Fonseca SL, Zhang YS, Alvarez MM. Gut-microbiota-on-a-chip: an enabling field for physiological research. MICROPHYSIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS 2018; 2:7. [PMID: 33954286 PMCID: PMC8096182 DOI: 10.21037/mps.2018.09.01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Overwhelming scientific evidence today confirms that the gut microbiota is a central player in human health. Knowledge about interactions between human gut microbiota and human health has evolved rapidly in the last decade, based on experimental work involving analysis of human fecal samples or animal models (mainly rodents). A more detailed and cost-effective description of this interplay is now being enabled by the use of in vitro systems (i.e., gut-microbiota-on-chip systems) that recapitulate key aspects of the interaction between microbiota and human cells. Here, we review recent examples of the design and use of pioneering on-chip platforms for the study of the cross-talk between representative members of human microbiota and human microtissues. In these systems, the combined use of state-of-the-art microfluidics, biomaterials, cell culture techniques, classical microbiology, and a touch of genetic expression profiling have converged for the development of gut-on-chip platforms capable of recreating key features of the interplay between human microbiota and host human tissues. We foresee that the integration of novel microfabrication techniques and stem cell technologies will further accelerate the development of more complex and physiologically relevant microbiota-on-chip platforms. In turn, this will foster the faster acquisition of knowledge regarding human microbiota and will enable important advances in the understanding of how to control or prevent disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grissel Trujillo-de Santiago
- Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnológico de Monterrey
- Departamento de Mecatrónica e Ingeniería Eléctrica, Campus Monterrey, CP 64849, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México
| | - Matías José Lobo-Zegers
- Centro de Biotecnología-FEMSA, Tecnológico de Monterrey
- Departamento de Mecatrónica e Ingeniería Eléctrica, Campus Monterrey, CP 64849, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México
| | - Silvia Lorena Montes-Fonseca
- Departamento de Bioingeniería, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Tecnológico de Monterrey, CP 31300, Chihuahua, México
| | - Yu Shrike Zhang
- Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Yu T, Wei Q. Plasmonic molecular assays: Recent advances and applications for mobile health. NANO RESEARCH 2018; 11:5439-5473. [PMID: 32218913 PMCID: PMC7091255 DOI: 10.1007/s12274-018-2094-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Plasmonics-based biosensing assays have been extensively employed for biomedical applications. Significant advancements in use of plasmonic assays for the construction of point-of-care (POC) diagnostic methods have been made to provide effective and urgent health care of patients, especially in resourcelimited settings. This rapidly progressive research area, centered on the unique surface plasmon resonance (SPR) properties of metallic nanostructures with exceptional absorption and scattering abilities, has greatly facilitated the development of cost-effective, sensitive, and rapid strategies for disease diagnostics and improving patient healthcare in both developed and developing worlds. This review highlights the recent advances and applications of plasmonic technologies for highly sensitive protein and nucleic acid biomarker detection. In particular, we focus on the implementation and penetration of various plasmonic technologies in conventional molecular diagnostic assays, and discuss how such modification has resulted in simpler, faster, and more sensitive alternatives that are suited for point-of-use. Finally, integration of plasmonic molecular assays with various portable POC platforms for mobile health applications are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Yu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Campus Box 7905, Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
| | - Qingshan Wei
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, 911 Partners Way, Campus Box 7905, Raleigh, NC 27695 USA
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