Observation of Insulin Exocytosis by a Pancreatic β Cell Line with Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy

INSULIN secretion was traditionally measured with biochemical and immunological methods such as enzyme linked immunosorbant assay and radioimmunoassay. However, these methods can only tell the amount of insulin secreted; they give no information about the secretion process or mechanism of exocytosis. In recent years, an imaging technique known as total internal reflection fluorescence （TIRF） microscopy has been employed to study insulin secretion.

Preliminary Study of the CAS-LIBB Single-Particle Microbeam Ⅱ Endstation: Ⅰ. Proposed Multi-Dimensional Quantitative Fluorescence Microscopy

Single-particle microbeam as a powerful tool can open a research field to find answers to many enigmas in radiobiology. A single-particle microbeam facility has been constructed at the Key Laboratory of Ion Beam Bioengineering （LIBB）, Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS）, China. However there has been less research activities in this field concerning the original process of the interaction between low-energy ions and complicated organisms. To address this challenge, an in situ multi-dimensional quantitative fluorescence microscopy system combined with the CAS-LIBB single-particle microbeam II endstation is proposed. In this article, the rationale, logistics and development of many aspects of the proposed system are discussed.

Advancing biological fluorescence microscopy with deep learning:a bibliometric perspective

Background:Fluorescence microscopy has increasingly promising applications in life science.This bibliometrics-based review focuses on deep learning assisted fluorescence microscopy imaging techniques.Methods:Papers on this topic retrieved by Core Collection on Web of Science between 2017 and July 2022 were used for the analysis.In addition to presenting the representative papers that have received the most attention,the process of development of the topic,the structure of authors and institutions,the selection of journals,and the keywords are analyzed in detail in this review.Results:The analysis found that this topic gained immediate popularity among scholars from its emergence in 2017,gaining explosive growth within three years.This phenomenon is because deep learning techniques that have been well established in other fields can be migrated to the analysis of fluorescence micrographs.From 2020 onwards,this topic tapers off but has attracted a few stable research groups to tackle the remaining challenges.Although this topic has been very popular,it has not attracted scientists from all over the world.The USA,China,Germany,and the UK are the key players in this topic.Keyword analysis and clustering are applied to understand the different focuses on this topic.Conclusion:Based on the bibliometric analysis,the current state of this topic to date and future perspectives are summarized at the end.

Direct observation of the plasmon-enhanced palladium catalysis with single-molecule fluorescence microscopy

Plasmonic nanostructures have been proved effective not only in catalyzing chemical reactions,but also in improving the activity of non-plasmonic photocatalysts.It is essential to reveal the synergy between the plasmonic structure and the non-plasmonic metal photocatalyst for expounding the underlying mechanism of plasmon-enhanced catalysis.Herein,the enhancement of resazurin reduction at the heterostructure of silver nanowire(AgNW)and palladium nanoparticles(PdNPs)is observed in situ by single-molecule fluorescence microscopy.The catalysis mapping results around single AgNW suggest that the catalytic activity of PdNPs is enhanced for~20 times due to the excitation of localized surface plasmon resonance(LSPR)in the vicinity of the AgNW.This catalysis enhancement is also highly related to the wavelength and polarization of the excitation light.In addition,the palladium catalysis is further enhanced by~10 times in the vicinity of a roughened AgNW or a AgNW-AgNW nanogap because of the improvement of catalytic hotspots.These findings clarify the contribution of plasmon excitation in palladium catalysis at microscopic scale,which will help to deepen the understanding of the plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis and provide a guideline for developing highly efficient plasmon-based photocatalysts.

From static to dynamic:live observation of the support system after ischemic stroke by two photon-excited fluorescence laser-scanning microscopy

Ischemic stroke is one of the most common causes of mortality and disability worldwide.However,treatment efficacy and the progress of research remain unsatisfactory.As the critical support system and essential components in neurovascular units,glial cells and blood vessels(including the bloodbrain barrier)together maintain an optimal microenvironment for neuronal function.They provide nutrients,regulate neuronal excitability,and prevent harmful substances from entering brain tissue.The highly dynamic networks of this support system play an essential role in ischemic stroke through processes including brain homeostasis,supporting neuronal function,and reacting to injuries.However,most studies have focused on postmortem animals,which inevitably lack critical information about the dynamic changes that occur after ischemic stroke.Therefore,a high-precision technique for research in living animals is urgently needed.Two-photon fluorescence laser-scanning microscopy is a powerful imaging technique that can facilitate live imaging at high spatiotemporal resolutions.Twophoton fluorescence laser-scanning microscopy can provide images of the whole-cortex vascular 3D structure,information on multicellular component interactions,and provide images of structure and function in the cranial window.This technique shifts the existing research paradigm from static to dynamic,from flat to stereoscopic,and from single-cell function to multicellular intercommunication,thus providing direct and reliable evidence to identify the pathophysiological mechanisms following ischemic stroke in an intact brain.In this review,we discuss exciting findings from research on the support system after ischemic stroke using two-photon fluorescence laser-scanning microscopy,highlighting the importance of dynamic observations of cellular behavior and interactions in the networks of the brain’s support systems.We show the excellent application prospects and advantages of two-photon fluorescence laser-scanning microscopy and predict future research developments and directions in the study of ischemic stroke.

Miniature Fluorescence Microscopy for Imaging Brain Activity in Freely-Behaving Animals

An ultimate goal of neuroscience is to decipher the principles underlying neuronal information processing at the molecular,cellular,circuit,and system levels.The advent of miniature fluorescence microscopy has furthered the quest by visualizing brain activities and structural dynamics in animals engaged in self-determined behaviors.In this brief review,we summarize recent advances in miniature fluorescence microscopy for neuroscience,focusing mostly on two mainstream solutions-miniature single-photon microscopy,and miniature two-photon microscopy.We discuss their technical advantages and limitations as well as unmet challenges for future improvement.Examples of preliminary applications are also presented to reflect on a new trend of brain imaging in experimental paradigms involving body movements,long and complex protocols,and even disease progression and aging.

Rethinking resolution estimation in fluorescence microscopy: from theoretical resolution criteria to super-resolution microscopy

Resolution is undoubtedly the most important parameter in optical microscopy by providing an estimation on the maximum resolving power of a certain optical microscope. For centuries, the resolution of an optical microscope is generally considered to be limited only by the numerical aperture of the optical system and the wavelength of light. However, since the invention and popularity of various advanced fluorescence microscopy techniques, especially super-resolution fluorescence microscopy, many new methods have been proposed for estimating the resolution, leading to confusions for researchers who need to quantify the resolution of their fluorescence microscopes. In this paper, we firstly summarize the early concepts and criteria for predicting the resolution limit of an ideal optical system. Then, we discuss some important influence factors that deteriorate the resolution of a certain fluorescence microscope. Finally, we provide methods and examples on how to measure the resolution of a fluorescence microscope from captured fluorescence images. This paper aims to answer as best as possible the theoretical and practical issues regarding the resolution estimation in fluorescence microscopy.

Fluorescence Intensity Decay Shape Analysis Microscopy （FIDSAM） for Quantitative and Sensitive Live-Cell Imaging： A Novel Technique for Fluorescence Microscopy of Endogenously Expressed Fusion-Proteins

Fluorescent studies of living plant cells such as confocal microscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging often suffer from a strong autofluorescent background contribution that significantly reduces the dynamic image contrast and the quantitative access to sub-cellular processes at high spatial resolution. Here, we present a novel technique--fluorescence intensity decay shape analysis microscopy （FIDSAM） to enhance the dynamic contrast of a fluorescence image of at least one order of magnitude. The method is based on the analysis of the shape of the fluorescence intensity decay （fluorescence lifetime curve） and benefits from the fact that the decay patterns of typical fluorescence label dyes strongly differ from emission decay curves of autofluorescent sample areas. Using FIDSAM, we investigated Arabidopsis thaliana hypocotyl cells in their tissue environment, which accumulate an eGFP fusion of the plasma membrane marker protein LTI6b （LTI6b-eGFP） to low level. Whereas in conventional confocal fluorescence images, the membranes of neighboring cells can hardly be optically resolved due to the strong autofluorescence of the cell wall, FIDSAM allows for imaging of single, isolated membranes at high spatial resolution. Thus, FIDSAM will enable the sub-cellular analysis of even low-expressed fluorophoretagged proteins in living plant cells. Furthermore, the combination of FIDSAM with fluorescence lifetime imaging provides the basis to study the local physico-chemical environment of fluorophore-tagged biomolecules in living plant cells.

CAPPh A Cytoskeleton-Based Localization Assay Reports Protein-Protein Interaction in Living Cells by Fluorescence Microscopy

Dear EditorProbing protein-protein interaction has become a routine practice in the post genomic era. Multiple in vitro or in vivo techniques have been developed to detect or report direct or indirect interactions of functionally related proteins （Lalonde et al., 2008）. These techniques sometimes are technically challenging, however, because the readout would demand sophisticated detectors and/or complicated calculations. Besides, a common drawback of many of these techniques is they can render inherent false positives to various degrees so that an interaction often cannot be judged unambiguously.

Enhanced collection of scattered photons in nonlinear fluorescence microscopy by extended epi-detection with a silicon photomultiplier array

To maximize signal collection in nonlinear optical microscopy,non-descanned epi-detection is generally adopted for in vivo imaging.However,because of severe scattering in biological samples,most of the emitted fluorescence photons go beyond the collection angles of objectives and thus cannot be detected.Here,we propose an extended detection scheme to enhance the collection of scattered photons in nonlinear fluorescence microscopy using a silicon photomultiplier array ahead of the front apertures of objectives.We perform numerical simulations to demonstrate the enhanced fluorescence collection via extended epi-detection in the multi-photon fluorescence imaging of human skin and mouse brain through craniotomy windows and intact skulls.For example,with red fluorescence emission at a depth of 600μm in human skin,the increased collection can be as much as about 150%with a 10×,0.6-NA objective.We show that extended epi-detection is a generally applicable,feasible technique for use in nonlinear fluorescence microscopy to enhance signal detection.

A Perspective on Data Processing in Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging

With super-resolution microscopy,we attempt to visualize(biological)structures and processes at the sub-cellular level(i.e.,nanoscale).To obtain this information,the samples are labeled with fluorophores that have a stochastic on/off switching of their emissions,which help to overcome the optical diffraction limit of around 250 nm,related to the use of optical micro-scopes.However,nowadays,research focuses on the imaging of live cells and thicker samples.These investigations require a high amount of simultaneously active fluorophores(i.e.,high-density imaging)and are challenging due to the collapse of the single-molecule localization techniques and the increased background in the image.Therefore,recent efforts have shifted towards the development of new ways to process the data.This publication gives an introduction to wide-field super-resolution fluorescence microscopy,explaining the concepts of the technique,and then gives an overview of the recently developed methods to provide super-resolution images for high-density data of live cells and ways to overcome the issues related to the imaging of these samples.

Sidelobe suppression in light-sheet fluorescence microscopy with Bessel beam plane illumination using subtractive imaging

The fluorescence from the out-of-focus region excited by the sidelobes of a Bessel beam is the major concern for light-sheet fluorescence microscopy （LSFM） with Bessel beam plane illumination. Here, we propose a method of applying the subtractive imaging to overcome the limitation of the conventional LSFM with Bessel beam plane illumination. In the proposed method, the sample is imaged twice by line scanning using the extended solid Bessel beam and the ring-like Bessel beam. By subtracting between the two images with similar out-of-focus blur, the improved image quality with the suppression of the Bessel beam sidelobes and enhanced sectioning ability with improved contrast are demonstrated.

Recent progress on single-molecule nanocatalysis based on single-molecule fluorescence microscopy

Understanding the heterogeneous catalytic properties of nanoparticles is of great significance for the development of high efficient nanocatalysts, but the intrinsic heterogeneities of nanocatalysts were always covered in traditional ensemble studies. This issue can be overcome if one can follow the catalysis of individual nanoparticles in real time. This paper mainly summarizes recent developments in single- molecule nanocatalysis at single particle level in Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences. These developments include the revealing of catalytic kinetics of different types （plane ＆ edge） of surface atoms on individual Pd nanocubes, the observing of in situ deactivation of indi- vidual carbon-supported Pt nanoparticles during the electrocatalytic hydrogen-oxidation reaction, and the measurement of catalytic activation energies on single nanocatalysts for both product formation process and dissociation process, etc. These studies further indicate the advantages or unique abilities of single-molecule methods in the studies of nanocatalvsis or even chemical reactions.

Intracellular in situ labeling of Ti02 nanoparticles for fluorescence microscopy detection

Titanium dioxide （TiO2） nanoparticles are produced for many different purposes, including development of therapeutic and diagnostic nanoparticles for cancer detection and treatment, drug delivery, induction of DNA double-strand breaks, and imaging of specific cells and subcellular structures. Currently, the use of optical microscopy, an imaging technique most accessible to biology and medical patholog36 to detect TiO2 nanoparticles in cells and tissues ex vivo is limited with low detection limits, while more sensitive imaging methods （transmission electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence microscop~ etc.） have low throughput and technical and operational complications. Herein, we describe two in situ post- treatment labeling approaches to stain TiO2 nanoparticles taken up by the cells. The first approach utilizes fluorescent biotin and fluorescent streptavidin to label the nanoparticles before and after cellular uptake; the second approach is based on the copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition, the so-called Click chemistry, for labeling and detection of azide-conjugated TiO2 nanoparticles with alkyne- conjugated fluorescent dyes such as Alexa Fluor 488. To confirm that optical fluorescence signals of these nanoparticles match the distribution of the Ti element, we used synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy （XFM） at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Titanium-specific XFM showed excellent overlap with the location of optical fluorescence detected by confocal microscopy. Therefore, future experiments with TiO2 nanoparticles may safely rely on confocal microscopy after in situ nanoparticle labeling using approaches described here.

Fluorescence microscopy observation of self-organized microstructure formed by a rare earth compound

The morphologies of monolayers containing Eu(TTA)3Phen (TTA=thenoyltrifluoroace-tone, Phen = 1, 10-phenanthroline) were studied at the air/liquid interface on different subphases by fluorescence microscopy (FM). The composite subphase was the basic premise for the stable existence of the rare earth compound at air/liquid interface. The process that rare earth compound phase changes from liquid expanded state to liquid condensed state corresponded to a plateau in the π-A isotherm. In the pure Eu(TTA)3Phen monolayer, rod domains of Eu(TTA)3Phen formed and packed with no order. In the mixed monolayers with stearic acid (SA), phase transition of SA occurred first and formed domains with an electric gradient field, which induced the rare earth compound to form luminescent ring domains. Influence of intermolecular interaction on the self-organized microstructure was revealed.

Probing the interplay between chain diffusion and polymer crystal growth under nanoscale confinement： a study by single molecule fluorescence microscopy

Motions of single poly（c-caprolactone） （PCL） molecules during the formation of the dendrite crystals in ultrathin films are captured by single molecule fluorescence microscopy. The relationship of single molecule diffusion coefficient with the crystal growth rate, together with radius curvature, side-branch spacing of dendrite crystal and morphology are examined. The results support Mullins-Sekerka （MS） instability as the origin of lamellar branching induced by a diffusion field generated by a gradient of polymer segment density ahead of the crystal. Further analysis of the molecular trajectories has recognized different types of motions, depending on the distance to the crystal front： Fickian diffusion in regions far away from the crystal, sub-diffusion in regions adjacent to the crystal, and directed motion between these two regions. Anti-correlation of successive steps is discovered accompanying the sub-diffusion, providing a clear signature of macromolecule crowding at the crystal growth front. This anomalous diffusion process in polymer ultrathin films presents a new insight into the understanding of the retarded dynamics of interfacial mass transport towards the crystal front. It is considered to play a decisive role in controlling the crystal growth and evolution of crystal morphology.

Lipid droplets imaging with three-photon microscopy

Lipid droplets(LDs)participate in many physiological processes,the abnormality of which will cause chronic diseases and pathologies such as diabetes and obesity.It is crucial to monitor the distribution of LDs at high spatial resolution and large depth.Herein,we carried three-photon imaging of LDs in fat liver.Owing to the large three-photon absorption cross-section of the luminogen named NAP-CF_(3)(1:67×10^(-79) cm^(6) s^(2)),three-photon fluorescence fat liver imaging reached the largest depth of 80μm.Fat liver diagnosis was successfully carried out with excellent performance,providing great potential for LDs-associated pathologies research.

Super-resolution fluorescence polarization microscopy

Fluorescence polarization is related to the dipole orientation of chromophores,making fuores-cence polarization microscopy possible to_reveal structures and functions of tagged cellularorganelles and biological macromolecules.Several recent super resolution techniques have beenapplied to fluorescence polarization microscopy,achieving dipole measurement at nanoscale.In this review,we summarize both difraction limited and super resolution fluorescence polari-zation microscopy techniques,as well as their applications in biological imaging.

Cholesterol crystal binding of biliary immunoglobulin A: visualization by fluorescence light microscopy

AIM: To assess potential contributions of biliary IgA for crystal agglomeration into gallstones, we visualized cholesterol crystal binding of biliary IgA. METHODS: Crystal binding biliary proteins were extracted from human gallbladder bile using lectin affinity chromatography.Biliary IgA was isolated from the bound protein fraction by immunoaffinity chromatography. Pure cholesterol monohydrate crystals were incubated with biliary IgA and fluoresceine isothiocyanate (FITC)conjugated anti IgA at 37 degree. Samples were examined under polarizing and fluorescence light microscopy with digital image processing. RESULTS: Binding of biliary IgA to cholesterol monohydrate crystals could be visualized with FITC conjugated anti IgA antibodies.Peak fluorescence occurred at crystal edges and dislocations. Controls without biliary IgA or with biliary IgG showed no significant fluorescence. CONCLUSION: Fluorescence light microscopy provided evidence for cholesterol crystal binding of biliary IgA. Cholesterol crystal binding proteins like IgA might be important mediators of crystal agglomeration and growth of cholesterol gallstones by modifying the evolving crystal structures in vivo.

Monitoring microenvironment of Hep G2 cell apoptosis using two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy

Apoptosis is very important for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and is closely related to the occurrence and treatment of many diseases.Mitochondria in cells play a crucial role in programmed cell death and redox processes.Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide(NAD(P)H)is the primary producer of energy in mitochondria,changing NAD(P)H can directly reflect the physiological state of mitochondria.Therefore,NAD(P)H can be used to evaluate metabolic response.In this paper,we propose a noninvasive detection method that uses two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy(TP-FLIM)to characterize apoptosis by observing the binding kinetics of cellular endogenous NAD(P)H.The result shows that the average fluorescence lifetime of NAD(P)H and the fluorescence lifetime of protein-bound NAD(P)H will be affected by the changing pH,serum content,and oxygen concentration in the cell culture environment,and by the treatment with reagents such as H2O2 and paclitaxel.Taxol(PTX).This noninvasive detection method realized the dynamic detection of cellular endogenous substances and the assessment of apoptosis.