Infrared-based third and second harmonic generation imaging of cornea

Assessment of Ultra-Early-Stage Liver Fibrosis in Human Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Second-Harmonic Generation Microscopy

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with the chronic progression of fibrosis. In general, the progression of liver fibrosis is determined by a histopathological assessment with a collagen-stained section; however, the ultra-early stage of liver fibrosis is challenging to identify because of the low sensitivity in the collagen-selective staining method. In the present study, we demonstrate the feasibility of second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy in the histopathological diagnosis of the liver of NAFLD patients for the quantitative assessment of the ultra-early stage of fibrosis. We investigated four representative NAFLD patients with early stages of fibrosis. SHG microscopy visualised well-matured fibrotic structures and early fibrosis diffusely involving liver tissues, whereas early fibrosis is challenging to be identified by conventional histopathological methods. Furthermore, the SHG emission directionality analysis revealed the maturation of each collagen fibre of each patient. As a result, SHG microscopy is feasible for assessing liver fibrosis on NAFLD patients, including the ultra-early stage of liver fibrosis that is difficult to diagnose by the conventional histopathological method. The assessment method of the ultra-early fibrosis by using SHG microscopy may serve as a crucial means for pathological, clinical, and prognostic diagnosis of NAFLD patients.

Ginseng for an eye: effects of ginseng on ocular diseases

The sense of vision is the primary means by which we gather information from our surroundings, and vision loss, therefore, severely compromises the life of the affected individuals, their families, and society. Loss of vision becomes more frequent with age, and diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma are the major causes of vision impairment. To find active pharmacological compounds that might prevent or ameliorate the vision-threatening eye diseases, numerous studies have been performed, and some botanical compounds, including those extracted from ginseng, have been shown to possess beneficial effects in the treatment or prevention of common ocular diseases. In this review, we summarize the recent reports investigating the therapeutic effects of ginseng and ginsenosides on diverse ocular diseases and discuss their therapeutic potential.

Multimodal and multiplex spectral imaging of rat cornea ex vivo using a white-light laser source

We applied our multimodal nonlinear spectral imaging microscope to the measurement of rat cornea. We successfully obtained multiple nonlinear signals of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS), third-order sum frequency generation (TSFG), and second harmonic generation (SHG). Depending on the nonlinear optical processes, the cornea tissue was visualized with different image contrast mechanism simultaneously. Due to white-light laser excitation, multiplex CARS and TSFG spectra were obtained. Combined multimodal and spectral analysis clearly elucidated the layered structure of rat cornea with molecular structural information. This study indicates that our multimodal nonlinear spectral microscope is a promising bioimaging method for tissue study. Multimodal nonlinear spectral images of rat cornea at corneal epithelium and corneal stroma in the in-plane (XY) direction. With use of the combinational analysis of different nonlinear optical processes, detailed molecular structural information is available without staining or labelling.

Third-harmonic generation susceptibility spectroscopy in free fatty acids

Lipid-correlated disease such as atherosclerosis has been an important medical research topic for decades. Many new microscopic imaging techniques such as coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering and third-harmonic generation (THG) microscopy were verified to have the capability to target lipids in vivo. In the case of THG microscopy, biological cell membranes and lipid bodies in cells and tissues have been shown as good sources of contrast with a laser excitation wavelength around 1200 nm. We report the THG excitation spectroscopy study of two pure free fatty acids including oleic acid and linoleic acid from 1090 to 1330 nm. Different pure fatty acids presented slightly-different THG χ(3) spectra. The measured peak values of THG third-order susceptibility χ(3) in both fatty acids were surprisingly found not to match completely with the resonant absorption wavelengths around 1190 to 1210 nm, suggesting possible wavelengths selection for enhanced THG imaging of lipids while avoiding laser light absorption. Along with the recent advancement in THG imaging, this new window between 1240 to 1290 nm may offer tremendous new opportunities for sensitive label-free lipid imaging in biological tissues.

Advances in noninvasive functional imaging of bone

The demand for functional imaging in clinical medicine is comprehensive. Although the gold standard for the functional imaging of human bones in clinical settings is still radionuclide-based imaging modalities, nonionizing noninvasive imaging technology in small animals has greatly advanced in recent decades, especially the diffuse optical imaging to which Britton Chance made tremendous contributions. The evolution of imaging probes, instruments, and computation has facilitated exploration in the complicated biomedical research field by allowing longitudinal observation of molecular events in live cells and animals. These research-imaging tools are being used for clinical applications in various specialties, such as oncology, neuroscience, and dermatology. The Bone, a deeply located mineralized tissue, presents a challenge for noninvasive functional imaging in humans. Using nanoparticles (NP) with multiple favorable properties as bioimaging probes has provided orthopedics an opportunity to benefit from these noninvasive bone-imaging techniques. This review highlights the historical evolution of radionuclide-based imaging, computed tomography, positron emission tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, diffuse optics-enabled in vivo technologies, vibrational spectroscopic imaging, and a greater potential for using NPs for biomedical imaging.

Femtosecond infrared intrastromal ablation and backscattering-mode adaptive-optics multiphoton microscopy in chicken corneas

The performance of femtosecond (fs) laser intrastromal ablation was evaluated with backscattering-mode adaptive-optics multiphoton microscopy in ex vivo chicken corneas. The pulse energy of the fs source used for ablation was set to generate two different ablation patterns within the corneal stroma at a certain depth. Intrastromal patterns were imaged with a custom adaptive-optics multiphoton microscope to determine the accuracy of the procedure and verify the outcomes. This study demonstrates the potential of using fs pulses as surgical and monitoring techniques to systematically investigate intratissue ablation. Further refinement of the experimental system by combining both functions into a single fs laser system would be the basis to establish new techniques capable of monitoring corneal surgery without labeling in real-time. Since the backscattering configuration has also been optimized, future in vivo implementations would also be of interest in clinical environments involving corneal ablation procedures.

Multi-photon resonance enhancement of third harmonic generation in human oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin

Cancer cells require excessive oxygen and nutrition to support their rapid growth, so angiogenesis and decrease of blood oxygen are often associated with areas of cancer development. Current technologies for blood oxygen measurement, however, do not possess high spatial resolution and therefore cannot be used to detect small tumors in their early stage. In this paper, we studied the third harmonic generation (THG) spectra of oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin in the 1170-1365 nm region, which is strongly influenced by the multi-photon resonance effect, especially around the Soret transition band. Our spectroscopic results thus indicate the high potential of THG spectroscopic microscopy for oxygen depletion level measurement of a single red blood cell in vivo.

Virtual biopsy of rat tympanic membrane using higher harmonic generation microscopy

Multiharmonic optical microscopy has been widely applied in biomedical research due to its unique capability to perform noninvasive studies of biomaterials. In this study, virtual biopsy based on back-propagating multiple optical harmonics, combining second and third harmonics, is applied in unfixed rat tympanic membrane. We show that third harmonic generation can provide morphologic information on the epithelial layers of rat tympanic membrane as well as radial collagen fibers in middle fibrous layers, and that second harmonic generation can provide information on both radial and circular collagen fibers in middle fibrous layers. Through third harmonic generation, the capillary and red blood cells in the middle fibrous layer are also noted. Additionally, the 3-D relationship to adjacent bony structures and spatial variations in thickness and curvature are obtained. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of using a noninvasive optical imaging system for comprehensive evaluation of the tympanic membrane.

In vivo non-linear optical (NLO) imaging in live rabbit eyes using the Heidelberg Two-Photon Laser Ophthalmoscope

Imaging of non-linear optical (NLO) signals generated from the eye using ultrafast pulsed lasers has been limited to the study of ex vivo tissues because of the use of conventional microscopes with slow scan speeds. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of a novel, high scan rate ophthalmoscope to generate NLO signals using an attached femtosecond laser. NLO signals were generated and imaged in live, anesthetized albino rabbits using a newly designed Heidelberg Two-Photon Laser Ophthalmoscope with attached 25 mW fs laser having a central wavelength of 780 nm, pulsewidth of 75 fs, and a repetition rate of 50 MHz. To assess two-photon excited fluorescent (TPEF) signal generation, cultured rabbit corneal fibroblasts (RCF) were first labeled by Blue-green fluorescent FluoSpheres (1 mum diameter) and then cells were micro-injected into the central cornea. Clumps of RCF cells could be detected by both reflectance and TPEF imaging at 6 h after injection. By 6 days, RCF containing fluorescent microspheres confirmed by TPEF showed a more spread morphology and had migrated from the original injection site. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of using NLO microscopy to sequentially detect TPEF signals from live, intact corneas. We conclude that further refinement of the Two-photon laser Ophthalmoscope should lead to the development of an important, new clinical instrument capable of detecting NLO signals from patient corneas.

Direct backward third-harmonic generation in nanostructures

Direct-backward third harmonic generation (DBTHG) has been regarded as negligible or even inexistent due to the large value of wave-vector mismatch. In the past, BTHG signals were often interpreted as back-reflected or back-scattered forward-THG (FTHG). In this paper, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that backward third harmonic waves can be directly generated, and that their magnitude can be comparable with FTHG in nanostructures. Experimental data of DBTHG from ZnO thin films, CdSe quantum dots and Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles agree well with simulation results based on the Green's function. An integral equation was also derived for fast computation of DBTHG in nano films. Our investigation suggests that DBTHG can be a potentially powerful tool in nano-science research, especially when combined with FTHG measurements.

Harmonic microscopy of isotropic and anisotropic microstructure of the human cornea

In this study we present combined third-harmonic generation (THG) and second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy images of intact human corneas, and we analyze experimentally and theoretically the origin of the THG signal. Multiharmonic microscopy provides detailed images of the cornea microstructure over its entire thickness. A component of the THG signal originates from cellular structures and another one originates from anisotropy changes between successive collagen lamellae in the stroma. This anisotropy-related signal can be specifically detected using circular incident polarization, and provide contrasted images of the stacking and tissue-scale heterogeneity of stromal lamellae. Forward-radiated THG and SHG signals are generally anticorrelated, indicating that maximum THG is obtained from lamellar interfaces whereas maximum SHG is obtained from within lamellae. Polarization-resolved THG imaging reflects the a ernate anisotropy directions of the lamellae. We present a model for THG imaging of layered anisotropic samples and numerical calculations that account for our observations.