An extended quantitative model for super-resolution optical fluctuation imaging (SOFI)

Super-resolution optical fluctuation imaging (SOFI) provides super-resolution (SR) fluorescence imaging by analyzing fluctuations in the fluorophore emission. The technique has been used both to acquire quantitative SR images and to provide SR biosensing by monitoring changes in fluorophore blinking dynamics. Proper analysis of such data relies on a fully quantitative model of the imaging. However, previous SOFI imaging models made several assumptions that can not be realized in practice. In this work we address these limitations by developing and verifying a fully quantitative model that better approximates real-world imaging conditions. Our model shows that (i) SOFI images are free of bias, or can be made so, if the signal is stationary and fluorophores blink independently, (ii) allows a fully quantitative description of the link between SOFI imaging and probe dynamics, and (iii) paves the way for more advanced SOFI image reconstruction by offering a computationally fast way to calculate SOFI images for arbitrary probe, sample and instrumental properties. (C) 2019 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement