Molecules in cells move so fast that ordinary video (1 frames per second) seems to miss many phenomena.In order to observe the movement of molecules, the research group embarked on the development of a new ultra-high-speed, ultra-sensitive camera.

　Until now, cameras with low imaging speed but little noise generation have been used for imaging with single fluorescence molecule sensitivity.On the contrary, the research group used a camera with a much faster imaging speed but a large amount of noise.

　The imaging speed of the new ultra-high-speed, ultra-sensitive camera has reached 1 frames per second (3 times the video speed). It is said that it is possible to improve up to 1,000 frames per second.Conventionally, cell membrane molecules were thought to move around in a chaotic manner in places like the stage of a ballet theater (the entire cell membrane). I found that sometimes it moved to the next partition.

　In addition, the shooting time for one image was shortened to about 1 seconds.For the first time, subcellular structures can be seen in living cells with super-resolution accuracy.Cell membranes have structures called focal adhesions, which are the feet of cells, and are involved in the metastasis of cancer cells.We have also learned how this super-resolution image changes moment by moment and how the molecules dance in groups.

　In the future, it is expected to contribute to research on the structure of cell membranes and their receptors and cell signals, as well as elucidation of fine structures in living cells.

Paper information:[Journal of Cell Biology] Development of ultrafast camera-based single fluorescent-molecule imaging for cell biology
【【Journal of Cell Biology】】Ultrafast single-molecule imaging reveals focal adhesion nano-architecture and molecular dynamics