Rapid and gentle hydrogel encapsulation of living organisms enables long-term microscopy over multiple hours

Imaging living organisms at high spatial resolution requires effective and innocuous immobilization. Long-term imaging places further demands on sample mounting with minimal perturbation of the organism. Here we present a simple, inexpensive method for rapid encapsulation of small animals of any developmental stage within a photo-crosslinked polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel, gently restricting movement within their confined spaces. Immobilized animals maintain their original morphology in a hydrated environment compatible with chemical treatment, optical stimulation, and light-sheet microscopy. We demonstrate prolonged three-dimensional imaging of neural responses in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, recovery of viable organisms after 24 h, and imaging of larger squid hatchlings. We characterize a range of hydrogel and illumination conditions for immobilization quality, and identify paralytic-free conditions suitable for high-resolution single-cell imaging. Overall, PEG hydrogel encapsulation provides fast, versatile, and gentle mounting of small living organisms, from yeast to zebrafish, for continuous observation over hours.