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Conci C, Sironi L, Jacchetti E, Panzeri D, Inverso D, Martínez Vázquez R, Osellame R, Collini M, Cerullo G, Chirico G, Raimondi MT. In vivo label-free tissue histology through a microstructured imaging window. APL Bioeng 2024; 8:016102. [PMID: 38222895 PMCID: PMC10787586 DOI: 10.1063/5.0165411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Tissue histopathology, based on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining of thin tissue slices, is the gold standard for the evaluation of the immune reaction to the implant of a biomaterial. It is based on lengthy and costly procedures that do not allow longitudinal studies. The use of non-linear excitation microscopy in vivo, largely label-free, has the potential to overcome these limitations. With this purpose, we develop and validate an implantable microstructured device for the non-linear excitation microscopy assessment of the immune reaction to an implanted biomaterial label-free. The microstructured device, shaped as a matrix of regular 3D lattices, is obtained by two-photon laser polymerization. It is subsequently implanted in the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of embryonated chicken eggs for 7 days to act as an intrinsic 3D reference frame for cell counting and identification. The histological analysis based on H&E images of the tissue sections sampled around the implanted microstructures is compared to non-linear excitation and confocal images to build a cell atlas that correlates the histological observations to the label-free images. In this way, we can quantify the number of cells recruited in the tissue reconstituted in the microstructures and identify granulocytes on label-free images within and outside the microstructures. Collagen and microvessels are also identified by means of second-harmonic generation and autofluorescence imaging. The analysis indicates that the tissue reaction to implanted microstructures is like the one typical of CAM healing after injury, without a massive foreign body reaction. This opens the path to the use of similar microstructures coupled to a biomaterial, to image in vivo the regenerating interface between a tissue and a biomaterial with label-free non-linear excitation microscopy. This promises to be a transformative approach, alternative to conventional histopathology, for the bioengineering and the validation of biomaterials in in vivo longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Conci
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta,” Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Sironi
- Department of Physics, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 3, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuela Jacchetti
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta,” Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Panzeri
- Department of Physics, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 3, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Donato Inverso
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Rebeca Martínez Vázquez
- Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies (IFN), CNR and Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Osellame
- Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies (IFN), CNR and Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Maddalena Collini
- Department of Physics, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 3, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Giulio Cerullo
- Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies (IFN), CNR and Department of Physics, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Chirico
- Department of Physics, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 3, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Manuela Teresa Raimondi
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta,” Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci 32, 20133 Milan, Italy
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