Ultra-high spatio-temporal resolution imaging with parallel acquisition-readout structured illumination microscopy (PAR-SIM)

This article introduces parallel acquisition-readout structured illumination microscopy (PAR-SIM), a novel approach to significantly enhance the frame rates and region of interest (ROI) coverage in SIM imaging without increasing camera costs or complex algorithms. PAR-SIM achieves the highest imaging speed for fluorescence microscopy by synchronizing pattern generation and image exposure-readout, resulting in a spatial-temporal information flux of 132.9 MPixels s⁻¹, nine times faster than existing techniques. With a resolution of 100 nm and a low SNR of -2.11 dB, PAR-SIM successfully reconstructs various cellular organelles even with ultra-short exposure times. The authors demonstrate its capability by capturing mitochondrial dynamics in live cells at 408 Hz. The parallel exposure-readout mode improves frame rates and holds potential for other imaging systems.

Xinzhu Xu, Wenyi Wang, Liang Qiao, Yunzhe Fu, Xichuan Ge, Kun Zhao, Karl Zhanghao, Meiling Guan, Xin Chen, Meiqi Li, Dayong Jin, Peng Xi