Efficient Multiphoton Excitatable Compounds for 3D Imaging of a Living Brain

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H02689
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 32020:Functional solid state chemistry-related
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: Kawamata Jun 山口大学, 大学院創成科学研究科, 教授 (40214689)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 非線形光学 / 蛍光化合物 / 二光子顕微鏡

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Several types of fluorescent probes that can realize imaging of the whole brain of living mice without killing the mice have been developed. Specifically, developed probes exhibited both high water-solubility which is required for administering a living body simply by dissolving in water and salient multiphoton excitation efficiencies and intense luminescence in the wavelength range of 650 to 1300 nm with high efficiencies, which is highly accessible to the deepest parts of the living organ. By using the developed probes, non-invasive imaging of the whole brain of a living mouse was realized for the first time.

Free Research Field

非線形光学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

二光子顕微鏡により、生きた脳の中での出来事を光により可視化することができるようになった。本研究がもたらした成果は、脳疾患の進行に伴う脳内物質の細胞レベルでの変化が明らかにでき、脳疾患の進行メカニズムの全容の解明に道を開いた。将来的には脳疾患の根本的治療法を導くためのツールとして活用が進み、アルツハイマーやALSのような難治性脳疾患の患者を苦しみから解放することにつながる。