Hideo Hirukawa

Fiber-coupled confocal microscope (FCM) for real time imaging of cellular signals in vivo

To study cellular morphology and functions in vivo in realtime, we developed a fiber-coupled confocal microscope (FCM), and observed fluorescently-labeled cells inside the body of anesthetized rat. We developed an imaging fiber bundle (IFB), which consisted of an objective lens and a multi-fiber assembly (unit fiber: NA > 0.4, 3 micron in diameter). By combining the IFB with a real-time confocal scanner, we detected intracellular signals of the molecular messenger, and the death signals in the form of fluorescence changes even from cells located deep (> 2 mm) inside the solid organs. The FCM we developed is very promising for detailed studies in both the cell-based researches and clinical researches.