Versatile application of fluorescent quantum dot labels in super-resolution fluorescence microscopy

Quantum dots (QDs) are well known as bright and photostable inorganic fluorescent probes for microscopy imaging, with many attractive features superior to those found in organic dyes. However, their broadband excitation spectrum and emission blinking property have limited the applicability of QDs in modern super-resolution microscopy techniques. In this work, we systematically investigate practical approaches to overcoming these drawbacks and provide examples of their use across many commercially available super-resolution microscopy systems now accessible to biologists, with examples across the major super-resolution techniques. This work further maps out how QDs can be further engineered to facilitate their applications in the respective super-resolution microscopy techniques.