Article
Optics
Jakob G. P. Lingg, Thomas S. Bischof, Bernardo A. Arus, Emily D. Cosco, Ellen M. Sletten, Christopher J. Rowlands, Oliver T. Bruns, Andriy Chmyrov
Summary: The development of fluorophores with photoemission beyond 1000 nm provides the opportunity to develop novel fluorescence microscopes sensitive to those wavelengths. Imaging at wavelengths beyond the visible spectrum enables imaging depths of hundreds of microns in intact tissue, making this attractive for volumetric imaging applications.
LASER & PHOTONICS REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Keith E. Duncan, Kirk J. Czymmek, Ni Jiang, August C. Thies, Christopher N. Topp
Summary: This study presents technical advances in using lab-based X-ray microscopy for high-resolution 3D imaging of plant samples at multiple scales. Serial imaging and improved sample preparation methods allow for the generation of sub-micron 3D volumes co-registered with lower magnification scans, providing explicit contextual reference. This method bridges the imaging gap between light and electron microscopy and can be applied to various economically and scientifically important plant systems.
Article
Polymer Science
Agustin Maceda, Teresa Terrazas
Summary: Various methods for analyzing lignin autofluorescence have been developed, including fluorescence microscopy and other semi-quantitative methods, which efficiently characterize lignin. These methods can be used to analyze the transport of lignin monomers, distribution of lignin types in different plant tissues, changes in wood degradation, and purity of cellulose nanofibers in lignocellulosic biomass.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Kumari Billakurthi, Julian M. Hibberd
Summary: This study established a simple leaf ablation method to accelerate phenotyping of rice bundle sheath cells. Through light and confocal laser microscopy, bundle sheath cells and chloroplasts were visualized. The method allowed for measurement of bundle sheath cell dimensions, chloroplast area, and chloroplast number per cell.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nawar Sakr, Olga Glazova, Liudmila Shevkova, Nikita Onyanov, Samira Kaziakhmedova, Alena Shilova, Maria V. Vorontsova, Pavel Volchkov
Summary: Tissue autofluorescence in fixed tissue sections is a major issue in fluorescence microscopy. The intense intrinsic fluorescence emitted by the adrenal cortex interferes with fluorescent labels, resulting in poor-quality images. Various tissue treatment methods were evaluated for reducing autofluorescence, and TrueBlack (TM) Lipofuscin Autofluorescence Quencher and MaxBlock (TM) Autofluorescence Reducing Reagent Kit were found to be the most effective, reducing autofluorescence intensity by 89-93% and 90-95%, respectively. These treatments preserved specific fluorescence signals and tissue integrity, allowing reliable detection of fluorescent labels in the adrenal cortex tissue.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jan Knoblauch, Rainer Waadt, Asaph B. Cousins, Hans-Henning Kunz
Summary: Researchers have established three microscopy protocols to determine the in situ volume of chloroplasts using chlorophyll fluorescence, embedded CFP markers, and calculations from serial block-face scanning electron microscopy. The obtained data were validated by comparing them with mutant lines. The study also found that the size of guard cell plastids is not governed by the same division machinery as mesophyll plastids.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Evgenii Vasilev, Jie Wang, Marko Knezevic
Summary: This study introduces a new metric to quantitatively assess fracture surfaces, successfully distinguishing between fracture in fatigue and fracture in monotonic tension. The metric is also sensitive to the ductility of tested alloys and the presence of critical defects.
MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
David Wertheim, Lisa Miyashita, Gary Foley, Ian Gill, Richard Giddens, Gavin Gillmore, Ruaraidh Dobson, Sean Semple, Ana Rule, Jonathan Grigg
Summary: Using confocal microscopy, this study examined the three-dimensional appearances and elemental characteristics of particulate matter found in the air at roadside and underground railway stations. The results showed that some particles have sharp surfaces, and the particles at the railway station primarily consist of iron, calcium, and silicon.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Anika Gruneboom, Oliver Aust, Zuelal Cibir, Flora Weber, Dirk M. Hermann, Matthias Gunzer
Summary: Innate immune cells play a crucial role in defense against infections and sterile inflammation, with recent advances in microscopy providing insights into their biology. Neutrophils and macrophages have protective roles during tumor growth and ischemia-reperfusion damage, but can also exacerbate diseases. Future directions include enhancing knowledge about innate immune cells and their potential applications in disease diagnostics.
IMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Annunziatina Laurino, Alessandra Franceschini, Luca Pesce, Lorenzo Cinci, Alberto Montalbano, Giacomo Mazzamuto, Giuseppe Sancataldo, Gabriella Nesi, Irene Costantini, Ludovico Silvestri, Francesco Saverio Pavone
Summary: The analysis of histological alterations in all types of tissue is crucial for accurate pathology diagnosis. Recent advancements in tissue clearing and fluorescence microscopy enable the study of biological tissue anatomy in three dimensions. The combination of these techniques with classical H&E staining has led to the development of three-dimensional histology. This article provides an overview of state-of-the-art methods for investigating biological tissues using optimal combinations of different clearing methods and advanced fluorescence microscopy techniques. The computational reconstructions obtained through 3D optical imaging can be analyzed by pathologists without specific training in volumetric microscopy, opening new biomedical applications in clinical pathology.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Kathrin Malfeld, Nina Armbrecht, Holger A. Volk, Thomas Lenarz, Verena Scheper
Summary: Recent research has found that auditory synaptopathies play a crucial role in sensorineural hearing loss, and cochlear implant procedures may lead to physiological hearing loss in patients with residual hearing. The study developed a new method to examine the inner ear at the synapse level, aiming to better understand the cascade of hearing pathologies with the goal of developing targeted therapeutics.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kat Austen, Joana MacLean, Daniel Balanzategui, Franz Hoelker
Summary: Microplastic beads tagged with fluorescent dye were introduced into the soil of potted silver birch saplings, and after five months, the presence of microplastic in root tissues was confirmed. This study suggests the potential of woody plants like birch in phytoremediation of soil contaminated with microplastic.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Arne Maes, Camille Pestiaux, Alice Marino, Tim Balcaen, Lisa Leyssens, Sarah Vangrunderbeeck, Grzegorz Pyka, Wim M. De Borggraeve, Luc Bertrand, Christophe Beauloye, Sandrine Horman, Martine Wevers, Greet Kerckhofs
Summary: The authors present a cryogenic contrast-enhanced MicroCT method that improves the visualization of tissue microstructure by freezing stained samples at optimal freezing rates. They successfully applied this method to analyze individual muscle fibers and locate fibrotic regions in murine hearts. This method has significant applications in tissue histology and food preservation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Bernd Zechmann, Stefan Moestl, Guenther Zellnig
Summary: Focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) and serial sectioning transmission electron microscopy (ssTEM) are powerful tools for the 3D reconstruction and volumetric extraction of plant cells, and there are differences between the two methods.
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Neso Sojic, Laurent Bouffier
Summary: This opinion article briefly reviews the different strategies developed to translate an electrochemical process into a luminescence signal. It also selects and comments on several key examples to highlight the key advantages of coupling electrochemistry with optical imaging, mainly fluorescence and electrochemiluminescence.
CURRENT OPINION IN ELECTROCHEMISTRY
(2022)