Fluctuation-based super-resolution traction force microscopy

Authors: Aki Stubb, Romain F Laine, Mitro Miihkinen, Hellyeh Hamidi, Camilo Guzmán, Ricardo Henriques, Guillaume Jacquemet, Johanna Ivaska
Technologies: FBSR-TFM, NanoJ, NanoJ-SQUIRREL and NanoJ-SRRF
Paper published in Nano letters, January 2020
Publisher: American Chemical Society

The manuscript published in Nano Letters by Jacquimet and Ivaska introduces PlotsOfDifferences, a web application for comparing and visualizing differences between two datasets. The application uses a novel algorithm based on decorrelation analysis to estimate the resolution of images and identify the spatial location of differences. Elsewhere, a study by Stubb et al. in Nat. Communications describes the use of scanning angle interference microscopy to reveal cell dynamics at the nanoscale and provide insights into the role of focal adhesions in stem cell differentiation. In a separate study, the manuscript by Laine et al. in J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. presents NanoJ, an open-source super-resolution microscopy toolbox for high-performance image analysis. Meanwhile, another manuscript in Nano Letters by the authors of "Fluctuation-Based Super-Resolution Traction Force Microscopy" proposes a simplified protocol and imaging strategy for enhancing the sensitivity and accuracy of traction force microscopy using super-resolution microscopy and fluorescence fluctuation analysis. The researchers demonstrate the approach's ability to provide biologically relevant information and observe the alignment of filopodia to the force field generated by focal adhesions. Additionally, a study by Stubbs et al. compares the effectiveness of LiveSRRF and SACD algorithms for analyzing traction forces in live cells using super-resolution microscopy and finds that LiveSRRF provides better resolution and accuracy. Collectively, these studies contribute to the advancement of microscopy techniques and the understanding of cellular processes at the nanoscale.