Spectrally resolved confocal microscopy using lanthanide centred near-IR emission

Area of Science:

• Chemistry
• Biophysics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Lanthanide ions exhibit long-lived excited states suitable for bioimaging applications.
• Near-infrared (NIR) emission from lanthanides can overcome limitations of autofluorescence and sample transparency in biological samples.
• Despite their potential, lanthanide-based probes for NIR bioimaging are underrepresented in scientific literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the feasibility of NIR bioimaging using lanthanide complexes.
• To showcase the utility of existing visible-light microscopy systems for NIR emission detection.
• To encourage further development and application of lanthanide probes in bioimaging.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing lanthanide complexes as NIR emitters.
• Employing standard detectors, optical elements, and microscopes designed for visible light.
• Monitoring and recording NIR emission from the lanthanide complexes.

Main Results:

• Successful recording of images by detecting NIR emission from lanthanide complexes.
• Demonstration that conventional microscopy setups can be adapted for NIR imaging.
• Validation of lanthanide complexes as effective NIR emitters for imaging.

Conclusions:

• Near-infrared imaging using lanthanide complexes is achievable with readily available equipment.
• This approach offers a viable method to overcome autofluorescence and enhance imaging depth in biological samples.
• The findings pave the way for broader adoption of lanthanide-based probes in bioimaging.