IDBR: Development of an Adaptive Optic Scanning Laser Microscope for Deep Tissue Imaging

University Of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz CA

Investigators

Abstract

In the field of astronomy, adaptive optics are used to correct for the image aberrations that occur as starlight passes through the Earth's atmosphere: Dynamic changes in the refractive index refract the light, causing stars to "twinkle." The adaptive optics that are used in large terrestrial telescopes consist of a wavefront sensor to measure the aberrations of a "guide star," a natural or artificial point source reference beacon in the field of view of the object of interest, and a deformable mirror that can dynamically change its shape correct the image to restore diffraction limited imaging. The adaptive optics used in astronomy to obtain clearer images of celestial bodies in outer space will be re-applied in the field of biological imaging to correct image aberrations from changes in the refractive index within a cell. A fluorescent bead will be used as the reference beacon and implanted near the object of interest, such as the nucleus of a cell. Expected outcome is the correction of highly aberrated images, thereby obtaining the resolution limit set by diffraction of the imaging system. Once developed, the microscope will be available in a new research center, funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (www.cirm.ca.gov).