stimulated emission depletion microscopy (STED)

Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscopy is an advanced imaging technique that allows scientists to see incredibly small details, much finer than traditional microscopes. It works by using two laser beams: one to excite fluorescent molecules in a sample, causing them to glow, and another to regionally deactivate (or "turn off") the fluorescence around the target area. This shrinking of the glowing zone enables the microscope to pinpoint structures at nanometer-scale resolution, revealing cellular components and molecules with high precision. In essence, STED surpasses the limits of conventional microscopy, providing clearer, more detailed images at the nanoscale.