Live-cell imaging powered by computation

Abstract

The proliferation of microscopy methods for live-cell imaging offers many new possibilities for users but can also be challenging to navigate. We focus here on computational methods that promise to boost live-cell fluorescence microscopy, where intra-cellular dynamics and cell viability constrain measurements considerably. Considering the tradeoffs between signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), spatial resolution, temporal resolution, and multi-color and multi-channel capacity, we review computational methods that can be layered on top of commonly used existing microscopies, as well as hybrid methods that integrate computation and microscope hardware.