Super-Resolution Microscopy in Tissue Engineering

Abstract

Tissue engineering aims to restore or replace damaged organs using scaffolds, cells, and biomolecules. A key challenge remains: visualizing the intricate cellular and molecular interactions within engineered environments. Traditional imaging methods struggle to capture the nanoscale details essential for understanding stem cell behavior, tissue formation, and cell-scaffold interactions. Super-resolution microscopy (SRM) offers a solution by enabling imaging beyond the diffraction limit, revealing critical nanoscale processes involved in tissue engineering. SRM provides valuable insights into cell adhesion, migration, and differentiation, and facilitates the optimization of scaffold designs by visualizing the organization of cellular components and their relationship to the extracellular matrix. By integrating SRM into preclinical studies, researchers can improve the assessment and development of tissue-engineered constructs, bridging the gap between basic research and clinical applications. Overall, SRM holds substantial promise for accelerating progress in organ regeneration by uncovering previously inaccessible details that drive functional tissue integration.