Super-resolution label-free volumetric vibrational imaging

Nat Commun. 2021 Jun 15;12(1):3648. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-23951-x.

Abstract

Innovations in high-resolution optical imaging have allowed visualization of nanoscale biological structures and connections. However, super-resolution fluorescence techniques, including both optics-oriented and sample-expansion based, are limited in quantification and throughput especially in tissues from photobleaching or quenching of the fluorophores, and low-efficiency or non-uniform delivery of the probes. Here, we report a general sample-expansion vibrational imaging strategy, termed VISTA, for scalable label-free high-resolution interrogations of protein-rich biological structures with resolution down to 78 nm. VISTA achieves decent three-dimensional image quality through optimal retention of endogenous proteins, isotropic sample expansion, and deprivation of scattering lipids. Free from probe-labeling associated issues, VISTA offers unbiased and high-throughput tissue investigations. With correlative VISTA and immunofluorescence, we further validated the imaging specificity of VISTA and trained an image-segmentation model for label-free multi-component and volumetric prediction of nucleus, blood vessels, neuronal cells and dendrites in complex mouse brain tissues. VISTA could hence open new avenues for versatile biomedical studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain / pathology
  • Female
  • Fluorescence
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / methods*
  • Machine Learning
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Staining and Labeling / methods*
  • Zebrafish