1
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Wang S, Liang H, Yang Z, Wang Z, Yang B, Lu C. Direct large-scale synthesis of water-soluble and biocompatible upconversion nanoparticles for in vivo imaging. RSC Adv 2024; 14:17350-17354. [PMID: 38813132 PMCID: PMC11134336 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra03242j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Deep tissues can be optically imaged using near-infrared windows without radiation hazard. This work proposes a straightforward one-pot method for directly synthesizing water-soluble and biocompatible upconversion nanoparticles on a large scale for in vivo imaging. Safety assessment, coupled with luminescence imaging in mice, demonstrates the excellent stability and promising biological applications of the upconversion nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Light Industry Science and Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University Beijing 100048 China
| | - Haiyan Liang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Light Industry Science and Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University Beijing 100048 China
| | - Zihao Yang
- Department of Chemistry, School of Light Industry Science and Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University Beijing 100048 China
| | - Zhijie Wang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterial and Nanosafety, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Beijing 100049 China
| | - Biao Yang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Light Industry Science and Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University Beijing 100048 China
| | - Chichong Lu
- Department of Chemistry, School of Light Industry Science and Engineering, Beijing Technology and Business University Beijing 100048 China
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2
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Li X, Wang Y, Shi J, Zhao Z, Wang D, Chen Z, Cheng L, Lu GH, Liang Y, Dong H, Shan X, Liu B, Chen C, Liu Y, Liu F, Sun LD, Zhong X, Wang F. Large-Area Near-Infrared Emission Enhancement on Single Upconversion Nanoparticles by Metal Nanohole Array. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:5831-5837. [PMID: 38708822 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Single lanthanide (Ln) ion doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) exhibit great potential for biomolecule sensing and counting. Plasmonic structures can improve the emission efficiency of single UCNPs by modulating the energy transferring process. Yet, achieving robust and large-area single UCNP emission modulation remains a challenge, which obstructs investigation and application of single UCNPs. Here, we present a strategy using metal nanohole arrays (NHAs) to achieve energy-transfer modulation on single UCNPs simultaneously within large-area plasmonic structures. By coupling surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) with higher-intermediate state (1D2 → 3F3, 1D2 → 3H4) transitions, we achieved a remarkable up to 10-fold enhancement in 800 nm emission, surpassing the conventional approach of coupling SPPs with an intermediate ground state (3H4 → 3H6). We numerically simulate the electrical field distribution and reveal that luminescent enhancement is robust and insensitive to the exact location of particles. It is anticipated that the strategy provides a platform for widely exploring applications in single-particle quantitative biosensing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomiao Li
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Yao Wang
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinlong Shi
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Zinan Zhao
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Dajing Wang
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Ziyuan Chen
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Long Cheng
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Nuclear Materials and Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Guang-Hong Lu
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Nuclear Materials and Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Yusen Liang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Materials Chemistry and Applications, PKU-HKU Joint Laboratory in Rare Earth Materials and Bioinorganic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Dong
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Materials Chemistry and Applications, PKU-HKU Joint Laboratory in Rare Earth Materials and Bioinorganic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuchen Shan
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Baolei Liu
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Chaohao Chen
- Department of Electronic Materials Engineering, Research School of Physics, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems (TMOS), Research School of Physics, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
| | - Yongtao Liu
- School of Electronic and Optical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210094, People's Republic of China
| | - Famin Liu
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Ling-Dong Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Materials Chemistry and Applications, PKU-HKU Joint Laboratory in Rare Earth Materials and Bioinorganic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaolan Zhong
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
| | - Fan Wang
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People's Republic of China
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3
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Zhu Z, Liang Y, Zhao Q, Wu H, Pan B, Qiao S, Wang B, Zhan Q. Three-dimensional, dual-color nanoscopy enabled by migrating photon avalanches with one single low-power CW beam. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2024; 69:458-465. [PMID: 38171962 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.12.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The development of super-resolution fluorescence microscopy is very essential for understanding the physical and biological fundamentals at nanometer scale. However, to date most super-resolution modalities require either complicated/costly purpose-built systems such as multiple-beam architectures or complex post-processing procedures with intrinsic artifacts. Achieving three-dimensional (3D) or multi-channel sub-diffraction microscopic imaging using a simple method remains a challenging and struggling task. Herein, we proposed 3D highly-nonlinear super-resolution microscopy using a single-beam excitation strategy, and the microscopy principle was modelled and studied based on the ultrahigh nonlinearity enabled by photon avalanches. According to the simulation, the point spread function of highly nonlinear microscopy is switchable among different modes and can shrink three-dimensionally to sub-diffraction scale at the photon avalanche mode. Experimentally, we demonstrated 3D optical nanoscopy assisted with huge optical nonlinearities in a simple laser scanning configuration, achieving a lateral resolution down to 58 nm (λ/14) and an axial resolution down to 185 nm (λ/5) with one single beam of low-power, continuous-wave, near-infrared laser. We further extended the photon avalanche effect to many other emitters to develop multi-color photon avalanching nanoprobes based on migrating photon avalanche mechanism, which enables us to implement single-beam dual-color sub-diffraction super-resolution microscopic imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhimin Zhu
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Guangdong Engineering Research Centre of Optoelectronic Intelligent Information Perception, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yusen Liang
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Guangdong Engineering Research Centre of Optoelectronic Intelligent Information Perception, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Guangdong Engineering Research Centre of Optoelectronic Intelligent Information Perception, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Hui Wu
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Guangdong Engineering Research Centre of Optoelectronic Intelligent Information Perception, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Binxiong Pan
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Guangdong Engineering Research Centre of Optoelectronic Intelligent Information Perception, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Shuqian Qiao
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Guangdong Engineering Research Centre of Optoelectronic Intelligent Information Perception, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Baoju Wang
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Guangdong Engineering Research Centre of Optoelectronic Intelligent Information Perception, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Qiuqiang Zhan
- Centre for Optical and Electromagnetic Research, Guangdong Engineering Research Centre of Optoelectronic Intelligent Information Perception, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
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4
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Ding L, Chen C, Shan X, Liu B, Wang D, Du Z, Zhao G, Su QP, Yang Y, Halkon B, Tran TT, Liao J, Aharonovich I, Zhang M, Cheng F, Fu L, Xu X, Wang F. Optical Nonlinearity Enabled Super-Resolved Multiplexing Microscopy. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2308844. [PMID: 37972577 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202308844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Optical multiplexing for nanoscale object recognition is of great significance within the intricate domains of biology, medicine, anti-counterfeiting, and microscopic imaging. Traditionally, the multiplexing dimensions of nanoscopy are limited to emission intensity, color, lifetime, and polarization. Here, a novel dimension, optical nonlinearity, is proposed for super-resolved multiplexing microscopy. This optical nonlinearity is attributable to the energy transitions between multiple energy levels of the doped lanthanide ions in upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), resulting in unique optical fingerprints for UCNPs with different compositions. A vortex beam is applied to transport the optical nonlinearity onto the imaging point-spread function (PSF), creating a robust super-resolved multiplexing imaging strategy for differentiating UCNPs with distinctive optical nonlinearities. The composition information of the nanoparticles can be retrieved with variations of the corresponding PSF in the obtained image. Four channels multiplexing super-resolved imaging with a single scanning, applying emission color and nonlinearity of two orthogonal imaging dimensions with a spatial resolution higher than 150 nm (1/6.5λ), are demonstrated. This work provides a new and orthogonal dimension - optical nonlinearity - to existing multiplexing dimensions, which shows great potential in bioimaging, anti-counterfeiting, microarray assays, deep tissue multiplexing detection, and high-density data storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Ding
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Advanced Nanomaterials, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan, 523808, China
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Chaohao Chen
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Advanced Nanomaterials, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan, 523808, China
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems, Department of Electronic Materials Engineering, Research School of Physics, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
- School of Electrical and Data Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Xuchen Shan
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Baolei Liu
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Dajing Wang
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Ziqing Du
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Guanshu Zhao
- School of Electrical and Data Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Qian Peter Su
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Yang Yang
- School of Electrical and Data Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Benjamin Halkon
- Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Toan Trong Tran
- School of Electrical and Data Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Jiayan Liao
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Igor Aharonovich
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Min Zhang
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Advanced Nanomaterials, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan, 523808, China
| | - Faliang Cheng
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Advanced Nanomaterials, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan, 523808, China
| | - Lan Fu
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems, Department of Electronic Materials Engineering, Research School of Physics, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Xiaoxue Xu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Fan Wang
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
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5
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Liu Y, Zhou J, Wen S, Wang F, Wu H, Chen Q, Zuo C, Jin D. On-Chip Mirror Enhanced Multiphoton Upconversion Super-Resolution Microscopy. NANO LETTERS 2023. [PMID: 37276247 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c00763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Multiphoton upconversion super-resolution microscopy (MPUM) is a promising imaging modality, which can provide increased resolution and penetration depth by using nonlinear near-infrared emission light through the so-called transparent biological window. However, a high excitation power is needed to achieve emission saturation, which increases phototoxicity. Here, we present an approach to realize the nonlinear saturation emission under a low excitation power by a simply designed on-chip mirror. The interference of the local electromagnetic field can easily confine the point spread function to a specific area to increase the excitation efficiency, which enables emission saturation under a lower excitation power. With no additional complexity, the mirror assists to decrease the excitation power by 10-fold and facilities the achievement of a lateral resolution around 35 nm, 1/28th of the excitation wavelength, in imaging of a single nanoparticle on-chip. This method offers a simple solution for super-resolution enhancement by a predesigned on-chip device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongtao Liu
- Smart Computational Imaging Laboratory(SCILab), School of Electronic and Optical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210094, China
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Jiajia Zhou
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Shihui Wen
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Fan Wang
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 102206 P. R. China
| | - Hongjun Wu
- Smart Computational Imaging Laboratory(SCILab), School of Electronic and Optical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210094, China
| | - Qian Chen
- Smart Computational Imaging Laboratory(SCILab), School of Electronic and Optical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210094, China
| | - Chao Zuo
- Smart Computational Imaging Laboratory(SCILab), School of Electronic and Optical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province 210094, China
| | - Dayong Jin
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia
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6
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Liu Y, Wen S, Wang F, Zuo C, Chen C, Zhou J, Jin D. Population Control of Upconversion Energy Transfer for Stimulation Emission Depletion Nanoscopy. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023:e2205990. [PMID: 37088783 PMCID: PMC10369235 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202205990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Upconverting stimulated emission depletion microscopy (U-STED) is emerging as an effective approach for super-resolution imaging due to its significantly low depletion power and its ability to surpass the limitations of the square-root law and achieve higher resolution. Though the compelling performance, a trade-off between the spatial resolution and imaging quality in U-STED has been recognized in restricting the usability due to the low excitation power drove high depletion efficiency. Moreover, it is a burden to search for the right power relying on trial and error as the underpinning mechanism is unknown. Here, a method is proposed that can easily predict the ideal excitation power for high depletion efficiency with the assistance of the non-saturate excitation based on the dynamic cross-relaxation (CR) energy transfer of upconversion nanoparticles. This allows the authors to employ the rate equation model to simulate the populations of each relevant energy state of lanthanides and predict the ideal excitation power for high depletion efficiency. The authors demonstrate that the resolution of STED with the assistance of nonsaturated confocal super-resolution results can easily achieve the highest resolution of sub-40 nm, 1/24th of the excitation wavelengths. The finding on the CR effect provides opportunities for population control in realizing low-power high-resolution nanoscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongtao Liu
- Smart Computational Imaging Laboratory (SCILab), School of Electronic and Optical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210094, P. R. China
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Shihui Wen
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Fan Wang
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing, 102206, P. R. China
| | - Chao Zuo
- Smart Computational Imaging Laboratory (SCILab), School of Electronic and Optical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210094, P. R. China
| | - Chaohao Chen
- School of Electrical and Data Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007
| | - Jiajia Zhou
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Dayong Jin
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
- UTS-SUStech Joint Research Centre for Biomedical Materials & Devices, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, P. R. China
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7
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Sun N, Jia Y, Bai S, Li Q, Dai L, Li J. The power of super-resolution microscopy in modern biomedical science. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 314:102880. [PMID: 36965225 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2023.102880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Super-resolution microscopy (SRM) technology that breaks the diffraction limit has revolutionized the field of cell biology since its appearance, which enables researchers to visualize cellular structures with nanometric resolution, multiple colors and single-molecule sensitivity. With the flourishing development of hardware and the availability of novel fluorescent probes, the impact of SRM has already gone beyond cell biology and extended to nanomedicine, material science and nanotechnology, and remarkably boosted important breakthroughs in these fields. In this review, we will mainly highlight the power of SRM in modern biomedical science, discussing how these SRM techniques revolutionize the way we understand cell structures, biomaterials assembly and how assembled biomaterials interact with cellular organelles, and finally their promotion to the clinical pre-diagnosis. Moreover, we also provide an outlook on the current technical challenges and future improvement direction of SRM. We hope this review can provide useful information, inspire new ideas and propel the development both from the perspective of SRM techniques and from the perspective of SRM's applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), CAS Key Lab of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049
| | - Yi Jia
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), CAS Key Lab of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
| | - Shiwei Bai
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), CAS Key Lab of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049
| | - Qi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering Institute of Process Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Luru Dai
- Wenzhou Institute and Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Biophysics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325001, China
| | - Junbai Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), CAS Key Lab of Colloid, Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049.
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8
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Burns Z, Liu Z. Untrained, physics-informed neural networks for structured illumination microscopy. OPTICS EXPRESS 2023; 31:8714-8724. [PMID: 36859981 DOI: 10.1364/oe.476781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Structured illumination microscopy (SIM) is a popular super-resolution imaging technique that can achieve resolution improvements of 2× and greater depending on the illumination patterns used. Traditionally, images are reconstructed using the linear SIM reconstruction algorithm. However, this algorithm has hand-tuned parameters which can often lead to artifacts, and it cannot be used with more complex illumination patterns. Recently, deep neural networks have been used for SIM reconstruction, yet they require training sets that are difficult to capture experimentally. We demonstrate that we can combine a deep neural network with the forward model of the structured illumination process to reconstruct sub-diffraction images without training data. The resulting physics-informed neural network (PINN) can be optimized on a single set of diffraction-limited sub-images and thus does not require any training set. We show, with simulated and experimental data, that this PINN can be applied to a wide variety of SIM illumination methods by simply changing the known illumination patterns used in the loss function and can achieve resolution improvements that match theoretical expectations.
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9
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Mettenbrink EM, Yang W, Wilhelm S. Bioimaging with Upconversion Nanoparticles. ADVANCED PHOTONICS RESEARCH 2022; 3:2200098. [PMID: 36686152 PMCID: PMC9858112 DOI: 10.1002/adpr.202200098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Bioimaging enables the spatiotemporal visualization of biological processes at various scales empowered by a range of different imaging modalities and contrast agents. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) represent a distinct type of such contrast agents with the potential to transform bioimaging due to their unique optical properties and functional design flexibilities. This review explores and discusses the opportunities, challenges, and limitations that UCNPs exhibit as bioimaging probes and highlights applications with spatial dimensions ranging from the single nanoparticle level to cellular, tissue, and whole animal imaging. We further summarized recent advancements in bioimaging applications enabled by UCNPs, including super-resolution techniques and multimodal imaging methods, and provide a perspective on the future potential of UCNP-based technologies in bioimaging research and clinical translation. This review may provide a valuable resource for researchers interested in exploring and applying UCNP-based bioimaging technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan M. Mettenbrink
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, 73019, USA
| | - Wen Yang
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, 73019, USA
| | - Stefan Wilhelm
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, 73019, USA
- Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104, USA
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Technology (IBEST), University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, 73019, USA
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10
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Chen C, Ding L, Liu B, Du Z, Liu Y, Di X, Shan X, Lin C, Zhang M, Xu X, Zhong X, Wang J, Chang L, Halkon B, Chen X, Cheng F, Wang F. Exploiting Dynamic Nonlinearity in Upconversion Nanoparticles for Super-Resolution Imaging. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:7136-7143. [PMID: 36018249 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c02269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Single-beam super-resolution microscopy, also known as superlinear microscopy, exploits the nonlinear response of fluorescent probes in confocal microscopy. The technique requires no complex purpose-built system, light field modulation, or beam shaping. Here, we present a strategy to enhance this technique's spatial resolution by modulating excitation intensity during image acquisition. This modulation induces dynamic optical nonlinearity in upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs), resulting in variations of nonlinear fluorescence response in the obtained images. The higher orders of fluorescence response can be extracted with a proposed weighted finite difference imaging algorithm from raw fluorescence images to generate an image with higher resolution than superlinear microscopy images. We apply this approach to resolve single nanoparticles in a large area, improving the resolution to 132 nm. This work suggests a new scope for the development of dynamic nonlinear fluorescent probes in super-resolution nanoscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaohao Chen
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Advanced Nanomaterials, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523808, China
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, Institute of Polymer Science in Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Lei Ding
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Baolei Liu
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Ziqing Du
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Yongtao Liu
- Smart Computational Imaging Laboratory, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210094, China
| | - Xiangjun Di
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Xuchen Shan
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Chenxiao Lin
- Department for Electrochemical Energy Storage, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Hahn-Meitner-Platz, Berlin 14109, Germany
| | - Min Zhang
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Advanced Nanomaterials, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Xiaoxue Xu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Xiaolan Zhong
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jianfeng Wang
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Lingqian Chang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Benjamin Halkon
- Centre for Audio, Acoustics & Vibration, Faculty of Engineering & IT, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Energy Chemical Process Intensification, Institute of Polymer Science in Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Faliang Cheng
- Guangdong Engineering and Technology Research Center for Advanced Nanomaterials, School of Environment and Civil Engineering, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523808, China
| | - Fan Wang
- School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
- School of Electrical and Data Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia
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11
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Li W, Kaminski Schierle GS, Lei B, Liu Y, Kaminski CF. Fluorescent Nanoparticles for Super-Resolution Imaging. Chem Rev 2022; 122:12495-12543. [PMID: 35759536 PMCID: PMC9373000 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Super-resolution imaging techniques that overcome the diffraction limit of light have gained wide popularity for visualizing cellular structures with nanometric resolution. Following the pace of hardware developments, the availability of new fluorescent probes with superior properties is becoming ever more important. In this context, fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted increasing attention as bright and photostable probes that address many shortcomings of traditional fluorescent probes. The use of NPs for super-resolution imaging is a recent development and this provides the focus for the current review. We give an overview of different super-resolution methods and discuss their demands on the properties of fluorescent NPs. We then review in detail the features, strengths, and weaknesses of each NP class to support these applications and provide examples from their utilization in various biological systems. Moreover, we provide an outlook on the future of the field and opportunities in material science for the development of probes for multiplexed subcellular imaging with nanometric resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Key
Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education,
College of Materials and Energy, South China
Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People’s Republic
of China,Department
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | | | - Bingfu Lei
- Key
Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education,
College of Materials and Energy, South China
Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People’s Republic
of China,B. Lei.
| | - Yingliang Liu
- Key
Laboratory for Biobased Materials and Energy of Ministry of Education,
College of Materials and Energy, South China
Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, People’s Republic
of China
| | - Clemens F. Kaminski
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom,C. F. Kaminski.
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12
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Chen Z, Cai Z, Liu W, Yan Z. Optical trapping and manipulation for single-particle spectroscopy and microscopy. J Chem Phys 2022; 157:050901. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0086328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Optical tweezers can control the position and orientation of individual colloidal particles in solution. Such control is often desirable but challenging for single-particle spectroscopy and microscopy, especially at the nanoscale. Functional nanoparticles that are optically trapped and manipulated in a three-dimensional (3D) space can serve as freestanding nanoprobes, which provide unique prospects of sensing and mapping the surrounding environment of the nanoparticles and studying their interactions with biological systems. In this perspective, we will first describe the optical forces underlying the optical trapping and manipulation of microscopic particles, then review the combinations and applications of different spectroscopy and microscopy techniques with optical tweezers. Finally, we will discuss the challenges of performing spectroscopy and microscopy on single nanoparticles with optical tweezers, the possible routes to address these challenges, and the new opportunities that will arise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Chen
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States of America
| | - Zhewei Cai
- Clarkson University, United States of America
| | - Wenbo Liu
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States of America
| | - Zijie Yan
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States of America
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13
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Lv R, Raab M, Wang Y, Tian J, Lin J, Prasad PN. Nanochemistry advancing photon conversion in rare-earth nanostructures for theranostics. Coord Chem Rev 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2022.214486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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14
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Li H, Warden AR, He J, Shen G, Ding X. Expansion microscopy with ninefold swelling (NIFS) hydrogel permits cellular ultrastructure imaging on conventional microscope. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm4006. [PMID: 35507653 PMCID: PMC9067917 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm4006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Superresolution microscopy enables probing of cellular ultrastructures. However, its widespread applications are limited by the need for expensive machinery, specific hardware, and sophisticated data processing. Expansion microscopy (ExM) improves the resolution of conventional microscopy by physically expanding biological specimens before imaging and currently provides ~70-nm resolution, which still lags behind that of modern superresolution microscopy (~30 nm). Here, we demonstrate a ninefold swelling (NIFS) hydrogel, that can reduce ExM resolution to 31 nm when using regular traditional microscopy. We also design a detachable chip that integrates all the experimental operations to facilitate the maximal reproducibility of this high-resolution imaging technology. We demonstrate this technique on the superimaging of nuclear pore complex and clathrin-coated pits, whose structures can hardly be resolved by conventional microscopy. The method presented here offers a universal platform with superresolution imaging to unveil cellular ultrastructural details using standard conventional laboratory microscopes.
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15
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Huang J, Yan L, Liu S, Tao L, Zhou B. Expanding the toolbox of photon upconversion for emerging frontier applications. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2022; 9:1167-1195. [PMID: 35084000 DOI: 10.1039/d1mh01654g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Photon upconversion in lanthanide-based materials has recently shown compelling advantages in a wide range of fields due to their exceptional anti-Stokes luminescence performances and physicochemical properties. In particular, the latest breakthroughs in the optical manipulation of photon upconversion, such as the precise tuning of switchable emission profiles and lifetimes, open up new opportunities for diverse frontier applications from biological imaging to therapy, nanophotonics and three-dimensional displays. A summary and discussion on the recent progress can provide new insights into the fundamental understanding of luminescence mechanisms and also help to inspire new upconversion concepts and promote their frontier applications. Herein, we present a review on the state-of-the-art progress of lanthanide-based upconversion materials, focusing on the newly emerging approaches to the smart control of upconversion in aspects of light intensity, colors, and lifetimes, as well as new concepts. The emerging scientific and technological discoveries based on the well-designed upconversion materials are highlighted and discussed, along with the challenges and future perspectives. This review will contribute to the understanding of the fundamental research of photon upconversion and further promote the development of new classes of efficient upconversion materials towards diversities of frontier applications in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinshu Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fiber Laser Materials and Applied Techniques, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research and Development Center of Special Optical Fiber Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China.
| | - Long Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fiber Laser Materials and Applied Techniques, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research and Development Center of Special Optical Fiber Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China.
| | - Songbin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fiber Laser Materials and Applied Techniques, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research and Development Center of Special Optical Fiber Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China.
| | - Lili Tao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Information Photonics Technology, School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Bo Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fiber Laser Materials and Applied Techniques, Guangdong Engineering Technology Research and Development Center of Special Optical Fiber Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641, China.
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16
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Near-infrared excitation/emission microscopy with lanthanide-based nanoparticles. Anal Bioanal Chem 2022; 414:4291-4310. [PMID: 35312819 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-022-03999-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Near-infrared optical imaging offers some advantages over conventional imaging, such as deeper tissue penetration, low or no autofluorescence, and reduced tissue scattering. Lanthanide-doped nanoparticles (LnNPs) have become a trend in the field of photoactive nanomaterials for optical imaging due to their unique optical features and because they can use NIR light as excitation and/or emission light. This review is focused on NaREF4 NPs and offers an overview of the state-of-the-art investigation in their use as luminophores in optical microscopy, time-resolved imaging, and super-resolution nanoscopy based on, or applied to, LnNPs. Secondly, whenever LnNPs are combined with other nanomaterial or nanoparticle to afford nanohybrids, the characterization of their physical and chemical properties is of current interest. In this context, the latest trends in optical microscopy and their future perspectives are discussed.
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17
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Liu B, Liao J, Song Y, Chen C, Ding L, Lu J, Zhou J, Wang F. Multiplexed structured illumination super-resolution imaging with lifetime-engineered upconversion nanoparticles. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2021; 4:30-38. [PMID: 36132948 PMCID: PMC9419758 DOI: 10.1039/d1na00765c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The emerging optical multiplexing within nanoscale shows super-capacity in encoding information by using lifetime fingerprints from luminescent nanoparticles. However, the optical diffraction limit compromises the decoding accuracy and throughput of the nanoparticles during conventional widefield imaging. This, in turn, challenges the quality of nanoparticles to afford the modulated excitation condition and further retain the multiplexed optical fingerprints for super-resolution multiplexing. Here we report a tailor-made multiplexed super-resolution imaging method using the lifetime-engineered upconversion nanoparticles. We demonstrate that the nanoparticles are bright, uniform, and stable under structured illumination, which supports a lateral resolution of 185 nm, less than 1/4th of the excitation wavelength. We further develop a deep learning algorithm to coordinate with super-resolution images for more accurate decoding compared to a numeric algorithm. We demonstrate a three-channel super-resolution imaging based optical multiplexing with decoding accuracies above 93% for each channel and larger than 60% accuracy for potential seven-channel multiplexing. The improved resolution provides high throughput by resolving the particles within the diffraction-limited spots, which enables higher multiplexing capacity in space. This lifetime multiplexing super-resolution method opens a new horizon for handling the growing amount of information content, disease source, and security risk in modern society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baolei Liu
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney NSW 2007 Australia
- School of Electrical and Data Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Jiayan Liao
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Yiliao Song
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Chaohao Chen
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Lei Ding
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Jie Lu
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Jiajia Zhou
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney NSW 2007 Australia
| | - Fan Wang
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney NSW 2007 Australia
- School of Electrical and Data Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney NSW 2007 Australia
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18
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Zhang H, Zhao M, Ábrahám IM, Zhang F. Super-Resolution Imaging With Lanthanide Luminescent Nanocrystals: Progress and Prospect. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:692075. [PMID: 34660546 PMCID: PMC8514657 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.692075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy has overcome a serious diffraction barrier on the optical resolution and facilitated new discoveries on detailed nanostructures in cell biology. Traditional fluorescence probes employed in the super-resolution imaging approach include organic dyes and fluorescent proteins. However, some limitations of these probes, such as photobleaching, short emission wavelengths, and high saturation intensity, still hamper the promotion of optical resolution and bio-applications. Recently, lanthanide luminescent probes with unique optical properties of non-photobleaching and sharp emissions have been applied in super-resolution imaging. In this mini-review, we will introduce several different mechanisms for lanthanide ions to achieve super-resolution imaging based on an STED-like setup. Then, several lanthanide ions used in super-resolution imaging will be described in detail and discussed. Last but not least, we will emphasize the future challenges and outlooks in hope of advancing the next-generation lanthanide fluorescent probes for super-resolution optical imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, iChem, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengyao Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, iChem, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - István M Ábrahám
- Molecular Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Institute of Physiology, Medical School, Centre for Neuroscience, Szentágothai Research Institute, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, iChem, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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19
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Chen Y, Shimoni O, Huang G, Wen S, Liao J, Duong HTT, Maddahfar M, Su QP, Ortega DG, Lu Y, Campbell DH, Walsh BJ, Jin D. Upconversion nanoparticle-assisted single-molecule assay for detecting circulating antigens of aggressive prostate cancer. Cytometry A 2021; 101:400-410. [PMID: 34585823 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.24504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Sensitive and quantitative detection of molecular biomarkers is crucial for the early diagnosis of diseases like metabolic syndrome and cancer. Here we present a single-molecule sandwich immunoassay by imaging the number of single nanoparticles to diagnose aggressive prostate cancer. Our assay employed the photo-stable upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) as labels to detect the four types of circulating antigens in blood circulation, including glypican-1 (GPC-1), leptin, osteopontin (OPN), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), as their serum concentrations indicate aggressive prostate cancer. Under a wide-field microscope, a single UCNP doped with thousands of lanthanide ions can emit sufficiently bright anti-Stokes' luminescence to become quantitatively detectable. By counting every single streptavidin-functionalized UCNP which specifically labeled on each sandwich immune complex across multiple fields of views, we achieved the Limit of Detection (LOD) of 0.0123 ng/ml, 0.2711 ng/ml, 0.1238 ng/ml, and 0.0158 ng/ml for GPC-1, leptin, OPN and VEGF, respectively. The serum circulating level of GPC-1, leptin, OPN, and VEGF in a mixture of 10 healthy normal human serum was 25.17 ng/ml, 18.04 ng/ml, 11.34 ng/ml, and 1.55 ng/ml, which was within the assay dynamic detection range for each analyte. Moreover, a 20% increase of GPC-1 and OPN was observed by spiking the normal human serum with recombinant antigens to confirm the accuracy of the assay. We observed no cross-reactivity among the four biomarker analytes, which eliminates the false positives and enhances the detection accuracy. The developed single upconversion nanoparticle-assisted single-molecule assay suggests its potential in clinical usage for prostate cancer detection by monitoring tiny concentration differences in a panel of serum biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghui Chen
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- ARC Research Hub for Integrated Device for End-user Analysis at Low-levels (IDEAL), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Olga Shimoni
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- ARC Research Hub for Integrated Device for End-user Analysis at Low-levels (IDEAL), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Guan Huang
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shihui Wen
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- ARC Research Hub for Integrated Device for End-user Analysis at Low-levels (IDEAL), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jiayan Liao
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- ARC Research Hub for Integrated Device for End-user Analysis at Low-levels (IDEAL), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hien T T Duong
- The School of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mahnaz Maddahfar
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Qian Peter Su
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David Gallego Ortega
- ARC Research Hub for Integrated Device for End-user Analysis at Low-levels (IDEAL), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Yanling Lu
- ARC Research Hub for Integrated Device for End-user Analysis at Low-levels (IDEAL), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Minomic International Ltd, Macquarie Park, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Douglas H Campbell
- ARC Research Hub for Integrated Device for End-user Analysis at Low-levels (IDEAL), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Minomic International Ltd, Macquarie Park, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Bradley J Walsh
- ARC Research Hub for Integrated Device for End-user Analysis at Low-levels (IDEAL), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Minomic International Ltd, Macquarie Park, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dayong Jin
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- ARC Research Hub for Integrated Device for End-user Analysis at Low-levels (IDEAL), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- UTS-SUStech Joint Research Centre for Biomedical Materials & Devices, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
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20
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Liao J, Zhou J, Song Y, Liu B, Chen Y, Wang F, Chen C, Lin J, Chen X, Lu J, Jin D. Preselectable Optical Fingerprints of Heterogeneous Upconversion Nanoparticles. NANO LETTERS 2021; 21:7659-7668. [PMID: 34406016 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c02404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The control in optical uniformity of single nanoparticles and tuning their diversity in multiple dimensions, dot to dot, holds the key to unlocking nanoscale applications. Here we report that the entire lifetime profile of the single upconversion nanoparticle (τ2 profile) can be resolved by confocal, wide-field, and super-resolution microscopy techniques. The advances in both spatial and temporal resolutions push the limit of optical multiplexing from microscale to nanoscale. We further demonstrate that the time-domain optical fingerprints can be created by utilizing nanophotonic upconversion schemes, including interfacial energy migration, concentration dependency, energy transfer, and isolation of surface quenchers. We exemplify that three multiple dimensions, including the excitation wavelength, emission color, and τ2 profile, can be built into the nanoscale derivative τ2-dots. Creating a vast library of individually preselectable nanotags opens up a new horizon for diverse applications, spanning from sub-diffraction-limit data storage to high-throughput single-molecule digital assays and super-resolution imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayan Liao
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Jiajia Zhou
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Yiliao Song
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Baolei Liu
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Yinghui Chen
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Fan Wang
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Chaohao Chen
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Jun Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueyuan Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Design and Assembly of Functional Nanostructures and Fujian Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Lu
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Dayong Jin
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2007, Australia
- UTS-SUStech Joint Research Centre for Biomedical Materials & Devices, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
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21
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Jing Y, Zhang C, Yu B, Lin D, Qu J. Super-Resolution Microscopy: Shedding New Light on In Vivo Imaging. Front Chem 2021; 9:746900. [PMID: 34595156 PMCID: PMC8476955 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.746900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, super-resolution microscopy (SRM), which offered a significant improvement in resolution over conventional light microscopy, has become a powerful tool to visualize biological activities in both fixed and living cells. However, completely understanding biological processes requires studying cells in a physiological context at high spatiotemporal resolution. Recently, SRM has showcased its ability to observe the detailed structures and dynamics in living species. Here we summarized recent technical advancements in SRM that have been successfully applied to in vivo imaging. Then, improvements in the labeling strategies are discussed together with the spectroscopic and chemical demands of the fluorophores. Finally, we broadly reviewed the current applications for super-resolution techniques in living species and highlighted some inherent challenges faced in this emerging field. We hope that this review could serve as an ideal reference for researchers as well as beginners in the relevant field of in vivo super resolution imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Danying Lin
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Junle Qu
- Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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22
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Pirone D, Mugnano M, Memmolo P, Merola F, Lama GC, Castaldo R, Miccio L, Bianco V, Grilli S, Ferraro P. Three-Dimensional Quantitative Intracellular Visualization of Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles by Tomographic Flow Cytometry. NANO LETTERS 2021; 21:5958-5966. [PMID: 34232045 PMCID: PMC9297328 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c00868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Interaction of nanoparticles (NPs) with cells is of fundamental importance in biology and biomedical sciences. NPs can be taken up by cells, thus interacting with their intracellular elements, modifying the life cycle pathways, and possibly inducing death. Therefore, there is a great interest in understanding and visualizing the process of cellular uptake itself or even secondary effects, for example, toxicity. Nowadays, no method is reported yet in which 3D imaging of NPs distribution can be achieved for suspended cells in flow-cytometry. Here we show that, by means of label-free tomographic flow-cytometry, it is possible to obtain full 3D quantitative spatial distribution of nanographene oxide (nGO) inside each single flowing cell. This can allow the setting of a class of biomarkers that characterize the 3D spatial intracellular deployment of nGO or other NPs clusters, thus opening the route for quantitative descriptions to discover new insights in the realm of NP-cell interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Pirone
- Institute
of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “E. Caianiello”, CNR-ISASI, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy
- Department
of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies (DIETI), University of Naples “Federico II”, via Claudio 21, 80125 Napoli, Italy
| | - Martina Mugnano
- Institute
of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “E. Caianiello”, CNR-ISASI, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy
| | - Pasquale Memmolo
- Institute
of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “E. Caianiello”, CNR-ISASI, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy
| | - Francesco Merola
- Institute
of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “E. Caianiello”, CNR-ISASI, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Cesare Lama
- Institute
of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, CNR-IPCB, Via Campi
Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy
| | - Rachele Castaldo
- Institute
of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, CNR-IPCB, Via Campi
Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy
| | - Lisa Miccio
- Institute
of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “E. Caianiello”, CNR-ISASI, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy
| | - Vittorio Bianco
- Institute
of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “E. Caianiello”, CNR-ISASI, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy
| | - Simonetta Grilli
- Institute
of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “E. Caianiello”, CNR-ISASI, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy
| | - Pietro Ferraro
- Institute
of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “E. Caianiello”, CNR-ISASI, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, Napoli, Italy
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23
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Chen C, Liu B, Liu Y, Liao J, Shan X, Wang F, Jin D. Heterochromatic Nonlinear Optical Responses in Upconversion Nanoparticles for Super-Resolution Nanoscopy. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2008847. [PMID: 33864638 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202008847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Point spread function (PSF) engineering by an emitter's response can code higher-spatial-frequency information of an image for microscopy to achieve super-resolution. However, complexed excitation optics or repetitive scans are needed, which explains the issues of low speed, poor stability, and operational complexity associated with the current laser scanning microscopy approaches. Here, the diverse emission responses of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are reported for super-resolution nanoscopy to improve the imaging quality and speed. The method only needs a doughnut-shaped scanning excitation beam at an appropriate power density. By collecting the four-photon emission of single UCNPs, the high-frequency information of a super-resolution image can be resolved through the doughnut-emission PSF. Meanwhile, the two-photon state of the same nanoparticle is oversaturated, so that the complementary lower-frequency information of the super-resolution image can be simultaneously collected by the Gaussian-like emission PSF. This leads to a method of Fourier-domain heterochromatic fusion, which allows the extended capability of the engineered PSFs to cover both low- and high-frequency information to yield optimized image quality. This approach achieves a spatial resolution of 40 nm, 1/24th of the excitation wavelength. This work suggests a new scope for developing nonlinear multi-color emitting probes in super-resolution nanoscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaohao Chen
- Institute for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Baolei Liu
- Institute for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Yongtao Liu
- Institute for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Jiayan Liao
- Institute for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Xuchen Shan
- Institute for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Fan Wang
- Institute for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
- School of Electrical and Data Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Dayong Jin
- Institute for Biomedical Materials & Devices (IBMD), Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
- UTS-SUStech Joint Research Centre for Biomedical Materials & Devices, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
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Dong H, Sun LD, Yan CH. Lanthanide-Doped Upconversion Nanoparticles for Super-Resolution Microscopy. Front Chem 2021; 8:619377. [PMID: 33520938 PMCID: PMC7843451 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.619377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Super-resolution microscopy offers a non-invasive and real-time tool for probing the subcellular structures and activities on nanometer precision. Exploring adequate luminescent probes is a great concern for acquiring higher-resolution image. Benefiting from the atomic-like transitions among real energy levels, lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles are featured by unique optical properties including excellent photostability, large anti-Stokes shifts, multicolor narrowband emissions, tunable emission lifetimes, etc. The past few years have witnessed the development of upconversion nanoparticles as probes for super-resolution imaging studies. To date, the optimal resolution reached 28 nm (λ/36) for single nanoparticles and 82 nm (λ/12) for cytoskeleton structures with upconversion nanoparticles. Compared with conventional probes such as organic dyes and quantum dots, upconversion nanoparticle-related super-resolution microscopy is still in the preliminary stage, and both opportunities and challenges exist. In this perspective article, we summarized the recent advances of upconversion nanoparticles for super-resolution microscopy and projected the future directions of this emerging field. This perspective article should be enlightening for designing efficient upconversion nanoprobes for super-resolution imaging and promote the development of upconversion nanoprobes for cell biology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Dong
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Materials Chemistry and Applications, PKU-HKU Joint Laboratory in Rare Earth Materials and Bioinorganic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ling-Dong Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Materials Chemistry and Applications, PKU-HKU Joint Laboratory in Rare Earth Materials and Bioinorganic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Chun-Hua Yan
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Materials Chemistry and Applications, PKU-HKU Joint Laboratory in Rare Earth Materials and Bioinorganic Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China.,College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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Qiang B, Yuan G, Zhao M, Liu H, Wang QJ, Wang Q. Far-field controllable excitation of phonon polariton via nanostructure engineering. OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 28:39156-39164. [PMID: 33379471 DOI: 10.1364/oe.410253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) as a natural mid-infrared (mid-IR) hyperbolic material which supports a strong excitation of phonon polariton (PhP) has enabled a new class of photonic devices with unprecedented functionalities. The hyperbolic property of h-BN has not only brought in new physical insights but also spurred potential applications. However, most of the current h-BN devices are designed repying on near-field excitation and manipulation of PhP. For fully realizing the potentials of h-BN, research on far-field controllable excitation and control of PhP is important for future integrated photonic devices. In this work, we exploit the designs of controllable far-field excitation of PhP in nanostructure-patterned h-BN thin film for deep subwavelength focusing (FWHM∼λ0/14.9) and interference patterns of 1D (FWHM∼λ0/52) and 2D standing waves (FWHM∼λ0/36.8) which find great potential for super-resolution imaging beyond diffraction limit. These polaritonic patterns could be easily tuned remotely by manipulating the polarization and phase of incident laser. This approach provides a novel platform for practical IR nanophotonic devices and potential applications in mid-IR bio-imaging and sensing.
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Gao L, Shan X, Xu X, Liu Y, Liu B, Li S, Wen S, Ma C, Jin D, Wang F. Video-rate upconversion display from optimized lanthanide ion doped upconversion nanoparticles. NANOSCALE 2020; 12:18595-18599. [PMID: 32555904 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr03076g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Volumetric displays that create bright image points within a transparent bulk are one of the most attractive technologies in everyday life. Lanthanide ion doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are promising luminescent nanomaterials for background free, full-colour volumetric displays of transparent bulk materials. However, video-rate display using UCNPs has been limited by their low emission intensity. Herein, we developed a video-rate upconversion display system with much enhanced brightness. The integral emission intensity of the single UCNPs was fully employed for video-rate display. It was maximized by optimizing the emitter concentration and, more importantly, by temporally synchronizing the scanning time of the excitation light to the the raised emission time of the single UCNPs. The excitation power dependent emission response and emission time decay curves were systematically characterized for the single UCNPs with various emitter concentrations from 0.5% to 6%. 1%Tm3+ doped UCNPs presented the highest integral emission intensity. By embedding this UCNPs into a polyvinyl acetate (PVA) film, we achieved a two-dimensional (2D) upconversion display with a frame rate of 29 Hz for 35 by 50 pixels. This work demonstrates that the temporal response as well as the integral emission intensity enable video-rate upconversion display.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laixu Gao
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Lingnan Normal University, Zhanjiang, 524048, China
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Plöschner M, Denkova D, De Camillis S, Das M, Parker LM, Zheng X, Lu Y, Ojosnegros S, Piper JA. Simultaneous super-linear excitation-emission and emission depletion allows imaging of upconversion nanoparticles with higher sub-diffraction resolution. OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 28:24308-24326. [PMID: 32752412 DOI: 10.1364/oe.400651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are becoming increasingly popular as biological markers as they offer photo-stable imaging in the near-infrared (NIR) biological transparency window. Imaging at NIR wavelengths benefits from low auto-fluorescence background and minimal photo-damage. However, as the diffraction limit increases with the wavelength, the imaging resolution deteriorates. To address this limitation, recently two independent approaches have been proposed for imaging UCNPs with sub-diffraction resolution, namely stimulated emission-depletion (STED) microscopy and super linear excitation-emission (uSEE) microscopy. Both methods are very sensitive to the UCNP composition and the imaging conditions, i.e. to the excitation and depletion power. Here, we demonstrate that the imaging conditions can be chosen in a way that activates both super-resolution regimes simultaneously when imaging NaYF4:Yb,Tm UCNPs. The combined uSEE-STED mode benefits from the advantages of both techniques, allowing for imaging with lateral resolution about six times better than the diffraction limit due to STED and simultaneous improvement of the axial resolution about twice over the diffraction limit due to uSEE. Conveniently, at certain imaging conditions, the uSEE-STED modality can achieve better resolution at four times lower laser power compared to STED mode, making the method appealing for biological applications. We illustrate this by imaging UCNPs functionalized by colominic acid in fixed neuronal phenotype cells.
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