Super-resolution imaging of the neuronal cytoskeleton

Abstract

The complexity of the brain organization and the unique architecture of neurons have motivated neuroscientists to stay at the forefront of cellular microscopy and rapidly take advantage of technical developments in this field. Among these developments, super-resolution microscopy has transformed our understanding of neurobiology by allowing us to image identified macromolecular scaffolds and complexes directly in cells. Super-resolution microscopy approaches have thus provided key insights into the organization and functions of the neuronal cytoskeleton and its unique nanostructures. These insights are the focus of our review, where we attempt to provide a panorama of super-resolution microscopy applications to the study of the neuronal cytoskeleton, delineating the progress they have made possible and the current challenges they meet.