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ChiSCAT: Unsupervised Learning of Recurrent Cellular Micromotion Patterns from a Chaotic Speckle Pattern
Andrii Trelin1,2, Sophie Kussauer2,3, Paul Weinbrenner1,2
1Institute of Physics, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany.
Nano Letters
|September 24, 2024
Summary
We developed ChiSCAT, a novel imaging technique using chaotic speckle and interferometric scattering microscopy (iSCAT), to detect nanometer-scale cell membrane motion during action potentials. Unsupervised learning recovers motion patterns, enabling action potential detection in scattering tissues like the brain.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Optical Imaging
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Action potentials are associated with intrinsic optical signals, including nanoscale cell membrane motion.
- Existing methods for detecting these signals lack sensitivity or applicability in scattering tissues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present ChiSCAT, a new imaging technique for sensitive detection of nanoscale motion accompanying action potentials.
- To demonstrate the utility of ChiSCAT combined with unsupervised learning for action potential detection.
Main Methods:
- ChiSCAT combines chaotic speckle illumination with interferometric scattering microscopy (iSCAT).
- The technique employs reflective high-NA illumination, common-path vibration suppression, and a large field of view.
- Unsupervised learning, including matched filtering and motif discovery, was used to analyze motion patterns.
Main Results:
- ChiSCAT achieves high sensitivity to motion in any direction.
- Unsupervised learning successfully recovered underlying motion patterns from ChiSCAT data.
- Action potentials were detected in experiments on cardiomyocytes.
Conclusions:
- ChiSCAT provides a sensitive method for detecting nanoscale membrane motion related to action potentials.
- The combination of ChiSCAT and unsupervised learning enables action potential detection in complex biological samples.
- This technique has potential applications for measuring action potentials in scattering tissues, including the brain.
