Media.Player

Nanometer-Scale Optical Imaging By The Modulation Tracking (Mt) Method

Technology Benefits

This invention allows users to image live cells without the need for cell fixation. This gives users information about cellular dynamics and biochemical reactions. Furthermore, since this method depends on light modulation, photobleaching has a minimal effect.

Technology Application

This optical imaging method has applications in biology, biophotonics, and biomedical research due to its ability to image small cellular structures and produce fast high quality three dimensional images. It can be used in conjunction with microscopes such as confocal and two-photon excitation microscopes that use a small illumination spot.

Detailed Technology Description

Current imaging methods to for super-resolution imaging (such as STED and PALM) are unable to capture the dynamic movements of live cell structures that are continually changing shape and position in the millisecond to second time scale. Researchers at UC Irvine have developed an optical imaging method for live three-dimensional (3D) super-resolution imaging at the nanometer scale. The method is based on feedback principle in which the specific scan pattern is adapted according to the shape of the sample. The sample is fluorescently labelled, and the position of the fluorescent surface is determined by the modulation of the fluorescence signal as a function of the distance from the surface. This method can be used to 1. Determine the 3D shape of the object and 2. Track the average position of the structure that is being imaged.   Figure 7A is a color image of a protrusion of a MB231 cell expression Paxillin-EGFP growing in a three dimensional collage matrix obtained by the described invention. Figure 7B is a magnified color image of the protrusion seen in Figure 7A at the nanometer scale.

Supplementary Information

Patent Number: US7620250B2
Application Number: US2003551671A
Inventor: Adamek, Thomas | O'Connor, Noel | Marlow, Sean | Murphy, Noel | Smeaton, Alan
Priority Date: 3 Apr 2003
Priority Number: US7620250B2
Application Date: 25 Aug 2006
Publication Date: 17 Nov 2009
IPC Current: G06K000968 | G06F001730 | G06K000964
US Class: 382219 | 345441 | 382151 | 382203
Assignee Applicant: Dublin City University,Dublin
Title: Shape matching method for indexing and retrieving multimedia data
Usefulness: Shape matching method for indexing and retrieving multimedia data
Summary: For comparing multimedia data sets by using shape information, in multimedia applications such as entertainment, business, art, engineering and science.
Novelty: Multimedia data sets comparing method in multimedia applications, involves calculating distances between associated contour points of different input binary images, for calculating dissimilarity between datasets

Industry

Optics

Sub Category

Laser

Application No.

9110282

Others

Tech ID/UC Case

22171/2011-364-0

Related Cases

2011-364-0

*Abstract

An invention for super-resolution (nanometer-scale) optical imaging of live cells is described. This method is based on feedback principle and can produce nanometer-resolved three dimensional images of small and moving features in live cells in a matter of seconds.

*IP Issue Date

Aug 18, 2015

*Principal Investigator

Name: Michelle Digman

Department:

Name: Enrico Gratton

Department:

Name: Luca Lanzano

Department:

Country/Region

USA