A stable, high refractive index, switching buffer for super-resolution imaging

dSTORM super-resolution imaging relies on switching buffers to enable dye molecules to enter and exit a metastable dark state. Current buffers have a very limited shelf life of approximately 1 day and poorly match sample refractive index, impacting negatively on measurement reproducibility and image fidelity. We present a buffer based on chemical, rather than enzymatic, oxygen scavenging which exhibits dramatically improved stability, switching speed, contrast, and index matching.