Surface Glutamate Receptor Nanoscale Organization with Super-Resolution Microscopy (dSTORM)

Glutamate receptors mediate the majority of excitatory transmission in the central nervous system. Recent developments in super-resolution microscopy, in particular single-molecule localization microscopy techniques, revealed a complex organization of surface glutamate receptors, especially within the synapse. The use of direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) provided the necessary resolution to dissect the precise localization of glutamate receptors. This approach is helping unveil the impact of this nanoscale organization on synaptic transmission and plasticity. In this chapter, we will describe the use of dSTORM to dissect the nanoscale organization of surface glutamate receptors and discuss sample preparation and analysis methods.