Abstract

The ability to visualize, track and quantify molecules and events directly inside living cells with high spatial and temporal resolution is essential for understanding biological systems. The most commonly used approaches to do this are based on the detection of the fluorescently labeled molecules. The major drawback of fluorescent markers is that after a finite number of photocycles they will convert to a non-fluorescent state thereby limiting the available observation time.

© 2011 Optical Society of America