Proceedings Article | 10 August 2018
KEYWORDS: Microscopy, Brain, Neurons, Computing systems, Brain imaging, Molecules, Reverse modeling, Neuroscience, Electron microscopy
In this brief review we point to very fresh publications illustrating the latest developments in imaging techniques that are able to tackle biological samples, with particular emphasis on brain/neurons. Visualizing living cells/neurons, single molecules, and even ions/atoms is crucially important, but, unfortunately, excruciatingly difficult. Still, recent progress reveals that a wide variety of novel/enhanced imaging techniques is reaching maturity. We will recap here the principles behind techniques that allow imaging beyond the diffraction limit, and highlight a few fresh advances when modeling for neuroscience (as a result of such imaging techniques). These include among others: interferometric scattering microscopy, atomic force microscopy (contact and dynamic modes), multiparametric, molecular recognition, multifrequency and high-speed imaging. As yet another example, single-particle tracking is one of several tools able to study single molecules inside cells/neurons, hence revealing the dynamics of biological processes (e.g., receptor trafficking, signaling and cargo transport). Obviously, with such improvements in resolving power new avenues for studying/modeling synapses, axons and neurons more generally are being opened. Finally, a few of the latest experiments that highlight unique capabilities will be mentioned, and their implications for advancing modeling and for achieving a much better functional understanding of neurons will be brought to light.
