%0 Journal Article
%T Bridging the gap: Super-resolution microscopy of epithelial cell junctions
%A Alexa L. Mattheyses
%A Emily I. Bartle
%A Tara M. Urner
%A Tejeshwar C. Rao
%J Archive of "Tissue Barriers".
%D 2018
%R 10.1080/21688370.2017.1404189
%X Cell junctions are critical for cell adhesion and communication in epithelial tissues. It is evident that the cellular distribution, size, and architecture of cell junctions play a vital role in regulating function. These details of junction architecture have been challenging to elucidate in part due to the complexity and size of cell junctions. A major challenge in understanding these features is attaining high resolution spatial information with molecular specificity. Fluorescence microscopy allows localization of specific proteins to junctions, but with a resolution on the same scale as junction size, rendering internal protein organization unobtainable. Super-resolution microscopy provides a bridge between fluorescence microscopy and nanoscale approaches, utilizing fluorescent tags to reveal protein organization below the resolution limit. Here we provide a brief introduction to super-resolution microscopy and discuss novel findings into the organization, structure and function of epithelial cell junctions
%K adherens junction
%K desmosome
%K gap junction
%K hemidesmosome
%K PALM
%K SIM
%K STORM
%K STED
%K tight junction
%U https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5823550/