Intravital imaging of amyloid plaques in a transgenic mouse model using optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy

Opt Lett. 2009 Dec 15;34(24):3899-901. doi: 10.1364/OL.34.003899.

Abstract

We report optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) for in vivo imaging of amyloid plaques in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model. Validation using conventional fluorescence microscopy and multiphoton microscopy shows that OR-PAM has sufficient sensitivity and spatial resolution to identify amyloid plaques in living brains. In addition, with dual-wavelength OR-PAM, the three-dimensional morphology of amyloid plaques and the surrounding microvasculature are imaged simultaneously through a cranial window without angiographic contrast agents. OR-PAM, capable of providing both exogenous molecular contrast and endogenous hemoglobin contrast, has the potential to serve as a new technology for in vivo microscopic observations of cerebral plaque deposits.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology*
  • Animals
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Elasticity Imaging Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Elasticity Imaging Techniques / methods*
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Humans
  • Image Enhancement / instrumentation*
  • Image Enhancement / methods*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Plaque, Amyloid / pathology*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity