Per-pixel unmixing of spectrally overlapping fluorophores using intra-exposure excitation modulation

Multilabel fluorescence imaging is essential for the visualization of complex systems, though a major challenge is the limited width of the usable spectral window. Here, we present a new method, exNEEMO, that enables per-pixel quantification of spectrally-overlapping fluorophores based on their light-induced dynamics, in a way that is compatible with a very broad range of timescales over which these dynamics may occur. Our approach makes use of intra-exposure modulation of the excitation light to distinguish the different emitters given their reference responses to this modulation. We use approach to simultaneously image four green photochromic fluorescent proteins at the full spatial resolution of the imaging. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=82 SRC="FIGDIR/small/538742v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (18K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1f49247org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1af85c2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@768a92org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@83b81b_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG