A light-sheet microscope compatible with mobile devices for label-free intracellular imaging and biosensing

Area of Science:

• Cell biology
• Biomedical optics
• Microscopy

Background:

• Cellular structures, particularly nuclear morphology, hold critical diagnostic information for various health conditions.
• Accurate and accessible methods for analyzing nuclear features are essential for disease detection and monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a label-free, cost-effective microscopy technique for direct observation and measurement of cell nucleus size, shape, and morphology.
• To explore the utility of nuclear features and volume as parameters for cell classification and life cycle analysis.

Main Methods:

• A scanning light-sheet microscope was engineered using a microfabricated lens and a commercial CMOS imager.
• The system generates a dual-mode image: a dark-field optical scattering image overlaid with a bright-field image on the same CMOS sensor.
• This approach allows for label-free imaging and analysis of nuclear structures.

Main Results:

• The developed microscope successfully detected nuclear features indicative of cellular life cycle stages.
• Cell nucleus volume was utilized as a novel parameter for effective cell classification.
• The technique demonstrated the potential for high-resolution imaging without the need for exogenous labels.

Conclusions:

• The label-free microscopy technique provides direct insights into nuclear structure, aiding in health and disease assessment.
• Nuclear volume serves as a valuable metric for cell classification, enhancing diagnostic capabilities.
• The system's design, leveraging pervasive CMOS imager technology, paves the way for portable, low-cost point-of-care diagnostic devices.