Mitochondrial cristae revealed with focused light.
Because of the diffraction resolution barrier, optical microscopes have so far failed in visualizing the mitochondrial cristae, that is, the folds of the inner membrane of this 200 to 400 nm diameter sized tubular organelle. Realizing a approximately 30 nm isotropic subdiffraction resolution in isoSTED fluorescence nanoscopy, we have visualized these essential structures in the mitochondria of intact cells. We find a pronounced heterogeneity in the cristae arrangements even within individual mitochondrial tubules.
Schmidt
Roman
R
Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Department of NanoBiophotonics, 37077 Gottingen, Germany.
Wurm
Christian A
CA
Punge
Annedore
A
Egner
Alexander
A
Jakobs
Stefan
S
Hell
Stefan W
SW
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004173:Dipodomys; D008027:Light; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051336:Mitochondrial Membranes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*