Microscopy and imaging techniques are constantly evolving with the rapid development of hardware, computational power and algorithms. The impact on plant and algal research is profound and is providing new insights into biological processes covering scales at the whole plant, tissue, cellular and macromolecular levels. While fluorescence techniques and molecular-genetic tags (e.g., green fluorescent protein) have been essential to these advances over the past 2–3 decades, the development of techniques such as lifetime imaging are utilizing the intrinsic properties of molecules in plants. Computational imaging is pushing the boundaries of resolution and the development of an array of superresolution techniques. In the electron microscopy field, this has led to the ability to reconstruct macromolecular complexes and proteins, almost reaching the atomic scale.
The goal of this Research Topic is to investigate and explore cutting-edge microscopy and imaging techniques and how they apply to plant and algal sciences. New developments in the cornerstones of this field, i.e., optical, fluorescence and electron microscopies, are extending our knowledge of cellular and molecular interactions spatially and temporally. Advances in computational imaging are breaking the resolution barrier through the application of algorithms. When these are combined with hardware advances such as lattice light sheet instruments, adaptive optics, superresolution techniques and direct detectors, we are able to illuminate processes and features in cells that were previously hidden. We look to include expand to closely aligned and complementary imaging techniques and how they are advancing our knowledge of plant and algal biology.
Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Developments in imaging and microscopy techniques and their application to plant and algal research.
• Imaging variants to enhance biological results (e.g., lifetime imaging, elemental and chemical analyses).
• Application of well-established and novel computational imaging techniques to the whole plant, tissue and cellular landscape.
• Tools for tagging and identifying structures using imaging techniques.
• Image analysis pipelines for small- and large-scale investigations.
Microscopy and imaging techniques are constantly evolving with the rapid development of hardware, computational power and algorithms. The impact on plant and algal research is profound and is providing new insights into biological processes covering scales at the whole plant, tissue, cellular and macromolecular levels. While fluorescence techniques and molecular-genetic tags (e.g., green fluorescent protein) have been essential to these advances over the past 2–3 decades, the development of techniques such as lifetime imaging are utilizing the intrinsic properties of molecules in plants. Computational imaging is pushing the boundaries of resolution and the development of an array of superresolution techniques. In the electron microscopy field, this has led to the ability to reconstruct macromolecular complexes and proteins, almost reaching the atomic scale.
The goal of this Research Topic is to investigate and explore cutting-edge microscopy and imaging techniques and how they apply to plant and algal sciences. New developments in the cornerstones of this field, i.e., optical, fluorescence and electron microscopies, are extending our knowledge of cellular and molecular interactions spatially and temporally. Advances in computational imaging are breaking the resolution barrier through the application of algorithms. When these are combined with hardware advances such as lattice light sheet instruments, adaptive optics, superresolution techniques and direct detectors, we are able to illuminate processes and features in cells that were previously hidden. We look to include expand to closely aligned and complementary imaging techniques and how they are advancing our knowledge of plant and algal biology.
Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Developments in imaging and microscopy techniques and their application to plant and algal research.
• Imaging variants to enhance biological results (e.g., lifetime imaging, elemental and chemical analyses).
• Application of well-established and novel computational imaging techniques to the whole plant, tissue and cellular landscape.
• Tools for tagging and identifying structures using imaging techniques.
• Image analysis pipelines for small- and large-scale investigations.
