Advances in Super-resolution Stimulated Raman Scattering Microscopy

Super-resolution optical imaging overcomes the diffraction limit in light microscopy to enable the visualization of previously invisible molecular details within a sample. The realization of super-resolution imaging based on stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy represents a recent area of fruitful development that has been used to visualize cellular structures in three dimensions, with multiple spectroscopic colors at the nanometer scale. Several fundamental approaches to achieving super-resolution SRS imaging have been reported, including optical engineering strategies, expansion microscopy, deconvolution image analysis, and photoswitchable SRS reporters as methods to break the diffraction limit. These approaches have enabled the visualization of biological structures, cellular interactions, and dynamics with unprecedented detail. In this Perspective, an overview of the current strategies and capabilities for achieving super-resolution SRS imaging will be highlighted together with an outlook on potential directions of this rapidly evolving field.