Visualization of nanostructures in neuronal growth cones and axons using super-resolution structured illumination microscopy.

Abstract

In neurons, which possess highly organized cellular structures, such as growth cones, axons, synapses, and dendritic spines, precise determination of molecular localization is a powerful approach for elucidating cellular functions. Super-resolution microscopy has revealed higher-order structures and molecular distributions that were previously undetectable using conventional confocal microscopy. Among super-resolution techniques, structured illumination microscopy (SIM) is particularly well-suited for live-cell imaging. In this study, we present a detailed methodology for observing growth cones and axons using SIM. Our SIM imaging of primary mouse neurons revealed that the phosphorylated GAP-43 localizes within axons in a pattern consistent with the membrane-associated periodic skeleton.