Introducing a data-standard for fluorescence microscopy: increasing data quality and fidelity for biological measurements

Single-molecule detection provides ever-more powerful tools. Although technological advances have been made, smart image-processing and -analysis strategies are required for quantification, and to combat issues like unspecific background, limited signal, and optical aberrations. These techniques generally increase the usefulness of microscopy data, but the limits to which these results may be interpreted are often poorly quantified. Here, we suggest a meta-data standard for images obtained through fluorescence microscopy that aims to increasing data fidelity, ease future analysis and facilitate objective comparison of different datasets, experimental setups, and essays.