Volume 9, Issue 12 p. 1673-1679
Article

Oxygen Microscopy by Two-Photon-Excited Phosphorescence

Olga S. Finikova Dr.

Olga S. Finikova Dr.

Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvannia, Philadelphia PA 19104-6059 (USA), Fax: (+1) 215-573-3787

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Artem Y. Lebedev Dr.

Artem Y. Lebedev Dr.

Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvannia, Philadelphia PA 19104-6059 (USA), Fax: (+1) 215-573-3787

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Alexey Aprelev Dr.

Alexey Aprelev Dr.

Department of Physics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)

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Thomas Troxler Dr.

Thomas Troxler Dr.

Department of Chemistry and RLBL, University of Pennsylvannia, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)

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Feng Gao Dr.

Feng Gao Dr.

Department of Chemistry and RLBL, University of Pennsylvannia, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)

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Carmen Garnacho Dr.

Carmen Garnacho Dr.

Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)

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Silvia Muro Prof.

Silvia Muro Prof.

Department of Pharmacology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)

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Robin M. Hochstrasser Prof.

Robin M. Hochstrasser Prof.

Department of Chemistry and RLBL, University of Pennsylvannia, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)

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Sergei A. Vinogradov Prof.

Sergei A. Vinogradov Prof.

Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvannia, Philadelphia PA 19104-6059 (USA), Fax: (+1) 215-573-3787

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First published: 15 August 2008
Citations: 206

Graphical Abstract

Oxygen distributions are imaged by two-photon laser scanning microscopy (2P LSM) using a newly developed two-photon-enhanced phosphorescent nanoprobe (see figure). 2P LSM allows visualization of oxygen gradients in 3D with near diffraction-limited resolution, and lifetime-based measurements eliminate dependence on the local probe concentration.

Abstract

High-resolution images of oxygen distributions in microheterogeneous samples are obtained by two-photon laser scanning microscopy (2P LSM), using a newly developed dendritic nanoprobe with internally enhanced two-photon absorption (2PA) cross-section. In this probe, energy is harvested by a 2PA antenna, which passes excitation onto a phosphorescent metalloporphyrin via intramolecular energy transfer. The 2P LSM allows sectioning of oxygen gradients with near diffraction-limited resolution, and lifetime-based acquisition eliminates dependence on the local probe concentration. The technique is validated on objects with a priori known oxygen distributions and applied to imaging of pO2 in cells.