title: The double-helix microscope super-resolves extended biological structures by localizing single blinking molecules in three dimensions with nanoscale precision.
abstract: The double-helix point spread function microscope encodes the axial (z) position information of single emitters in wide-field (x,y) images, thus enabling localization in three dimensions (3D) inside extended volumes. We experimentally determine the statistical localization precision σ of this approach using single emitters in a cell under typical background conditions, demonstrating σ < 20 nm laterally and <30 nm axially for N ≈ 1180 photons per localization. Combined with light-induced blinking of single-molecule labels, we present proof-of-concept imaging beyond the optical diffraction limit of microtubule network structures in fixed mammalian cells over a large axial range in three dimensions.
authors.forename: Hsiao-Lu D
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Steffen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Sahl
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Lew
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Moerner