German Title: Kombination von strukturierter Beleuchtung und Lokalisationsmikroskopie in einem neuen Setup mit Anwendungen an retinale Strukturen

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Abstract

Fluorescence microscopy methods have become an major imaging tool in biomedical lifescience. However, each method only addresses specific questions due to intrinsic limitations. A new, fully automated and user-friendly 'Combo'-microscope setup has been developed, which combines the two advanced high-resolution methods Structured Illumination and Localization Microscopy into one imaging system. As both methods complement one another, the 'Combo'-microscope will greatly extend the range of application in biomedical research. Moreover, artifacts, introduced in the course of the imaging and/or reconstruction processes, can be revealed and potential mis-interpretation of super-resolution data is limited. This work was motivated by the age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease, which is the leading cause of blindness in the Western world. Autofluorescent particles within age-related deposits (drusen) beneath the retinal pigment epithelium are studied on advanced resolution level. Furthermore, the newly built microscope is used for a dual-mode dual-color three-dimensional visualization of the axon initial segment, a crucial region for signal transduction in vision, of retinal ganglion cells. Finally, an in vitro study comparing the pharmaceuticals currently used for AMD-treatment is outlined.