Nanosecond-resolution photothermal dynamic imaging via MHZ digitization and match filtering

Advanced vibrational microscopes for life science

Providing molecular fingerprint information, vibrational spectroscopic imaging opens a new window to decipher the function of biomolecules in living systems. While classic vibrational microscopes based on spontaneous Raman scattering or mid-infrared absorption offer rich insights into sample composition, they have very small cross sections or poor spatial resolution. Nonlinear vibrational microscopy, based on coherent Raman scattering or optical photothermal detection of vibrational absorption, overcomes these barriers and enables high-speed and high-sensitivity imaging of chemical bonds in live cells and tissues. Here, we introduce various modalities, including their principles, strengths, weaknesses and data mining methods to the life sciences community. We further provide a guide for prospective users and an outlook on future technological advances.

Toward nanoscale structural and chemical analysis of microbial surfaces

Microbial surfaces play a critical role in various biological processes, including cell adhesion and biofilm formation. Understanding these surfaces at the nanoscale is essential for both fundamental and applied microbiology. This review explores recent advancements in nanoscale structural and chemical analyses of microbial surfaces, with a focus on vibrational spectroscopy, such as Raman spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The review also discusses current challenges of these techniques, including variability in sample preparation and the reproducibility of data, and highlights future directions in nanoscale analysis that could lead to new insights in microbial physiology, antimicrobial resistance, and biofilm research.

Aggregation induced emission luminogen bacteria hybrid bionic robot for multimodal phototheranostics and immunotherapy

Multimodal phototheranostics utilizing single molecules offer a "one-and-done" approach, presenting a convenient and effective strategy for cancer therapy. However, therapies based on conventional photosensitizers often suffer from limitations such as a single photosensitizing mechanism, restricted tumor penetration and retention, and the requirement for multiple irradiations, which significantly constrain their application. In this report, we present an aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen) bacteria hybrid bionic robot to address above issues. This bionic robot is composed of multifunctional AIEgen (INX-2) and Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN), i.e., EcN@INX-2. The EcN@INX-2 bionic robot exhibits near-infrared II (NIR-II) fluorescence emission and demonstrates efficient photodynamic and photothermal effects, as well as tumor-targeting capabilities. These features are facilitated by the complementary roles of INX-2 and EcN. The robot successfully enables in vivo multimodal imaging and therapy of colon cancer models in female mice through various mechanisms, including the activation of anti-tumor immunity, as well as photodynamic and photothermal therapy. Our study paves an avenue for designing multifunctional diagnostic agents for targeted colon cancer therapy through image-guided combinational immunotherapy.

Mid-Infrared Energy Deposition Spectroscopy

It is generally assumed that the spectral acquisition speed in photothermal spectroscopy is fundamentally limited by the thermal diffusion process. Here, we demonstrate midinfrared energy deposition (MIRED) spectroscopy that offers both microsecond-scale temporal resolution and submicron spatial resolution. In this approach, the photothermal process is optically probed while the infrared pulses from a quantum cascade laser array are rapidly tuned. Based on Newton's law of heating and cooling, the energy deposition is the first derivative of local temperature rise over time and gives the instantaneous absorption. By employing time-resolved measurement of transient energy deposition, the upper limit for spectrum encoding shifts to the vibrational relaxation level, which occurs on the picosecond scale. This method significantly increases the detection bandwidth while retaining the sensitivity and resolution benefits of photothermal detection.

Background-Free Mid-Infrared Photothermal Microscopy via Single-Shot Measurement of Thermal Decay

Mid-infrared photothermal (MIP) microscopy is an emerging tool for biological imaging, offering high sensitivity, subcellular resolution, and rapid image acquisition. However, the MIP signal of low concentration molecules in biological systems is often hindered or masked by background absorption, largely contributed by water, resulting from the H-O-H scissors-bending band in the fingerprint window or the bend-libration combination band in the cell-silent window. To preserve all desired signals while suppressing the background, we report a single-shot time-resolved MIP measurement that allows differentiation between the background and analyte signal based on their distinct photothermal dynamics. The results show that the thermal decay of the background is significantly longer than that of the desired intracellular signal, mainly due to the larger mass and heat capacity of water compared to those of intracellular features. Through two-component exponential fitting, we successfully differentiated and suppressed the background, while preserving the desired intracellular signal in both the fingerprint and cell-silent windows. By leveraging the thermal dynamics differences obtained from a single-shot measurement, we effectively remove the background and enhance the detection of small signals in a biological system.

High-Toughness Epoxy-Based Composites with a Bioinspired Three-Dimensional Interconnected Skeleton for Photothermal Conversion Applications

Advanced epoxy (EP)-based composites, retaining excellent physical and mechanical properties, are in demand in many high-end devices, such as fan blades of aeroengines. However, the irreconcilable conflict between stiffness and toughness within an EP often leads to catastrophic brittle fracture. Herein, inspired by the medulla skeleton of wing feathers of Milvus migrans, bioinspired EP-based composites (BECs) were obtained via integrating functionalized three-dimensional interconnected skeleton into a brittle EP. The BEC's fracture toughness is enhanced by 111.43%. Significantly, the maximum fracture toughness (KJC) of the BEC is 3.5 times greater than that of the EP. Moreover, under 100 mW/cm2 irradiation, the BEC can be heated from room temperature to 90 °C in 5 min, exhibiting excellent photothermal conversion capacity. The BEC expands the possible applications of conventional EP-based composites in engineering materials and energy management fields. The proposed bioinspired strategy provides a new avenue to design novel EP-based composites with strong mechanical properties and multifunction integration.

INSPIRE: Single-beam probed complementary vibrational bioimaging

Molecular spectroscopy provides intrinsic contrast for in situ chemical imaging, linking the physiochemical properties of biomolecules to the functions of living systems. While stimulated Raman imaging has found successes in deciphering biological machinery, many vibrational modes are Raman inactive or weak, limiting the broader impact of the technique. It can potentially be mitigated by the spectral complementarity from infrared (IR) spectroscopy. However, the vastly different optical windows make it challenging to develop such a platform. Here, we introduce in situ pump-probe IR and Raman excitation (INSPIRE) microscopy, a nascent cross-modality spectroscopic imaging approach by encoding the ultrafast Raman and the IR photothermal relaxation into a single probe beam for simultaneous detection. INSPIRE inherits the merits of complementary modalities and demonstrates high-content molecular imaging of chemicals, cells, tissues, and organisms. Furthermore, INSPIRE applies to label-free and molecular tag imaging, offering possibilities for optical sensing and imaging in biomedicine and materials science.

Heat application in live cell imaging

Thermal heating of biological samples allows to reversibly manipulate cellular processes with high temporal and spatial resolution. Manifold heating techniques in combination with live-cell imaging were developed, commonly tailored to customized applications. They include Peltier elements and microfluidics for homogenous sample heating as well as infrared lasers and radiation absorption by nanostructures for spot heating. A prerequisite of all techniques is that the induced temperature changes are measured precisely which can be the main challenge considering subcellular structures or multicellular organisms as target regions. This article discusses heating and temperature sensing techniques for live-cell imaging, leading to future applications in cell biology.

Visualizing DNA/RNA, Proteins, and Small Molecule Metabolites within Live Cells

Live cell imaging is essential for obtaining spatial and temporal insights into dynamic molecular events within heterogeneous individual cells, in situ intracellular networks, and in vivo organisms. Molecular tracking in live cells is also a critical and general requirement for studying dynamic physiological processes in cell biology, cancer, developmental biology, and neuroscience. Alongside this context, this review provides a comprehensive overview of recent research progress in live-cell imaging of RNAs, DNAs, proteins, and small-molecule metabolites, as well as their applications in molecular diagnosis, immunodiagnosis, and biochemical diagnosis. A series of advanced live-cell imaging techniques have been introduced and summarized, including high-precision live-cell imaging, high-resolution imaging, low-abundance imaging, multidimensional imaging, multipath imaging, rapid imaging, and computationally driven live-cell imaging methods, all of which offer valuable insights for disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. This review article also addresses the current challenges, potential solutions, and future development prospects in this field.

Mid-infrared chemical imaging of living cells enabled by plasmonic metasurfaces

Mid-Infrared (MIR) chemical imaging provides rich chemical information of biological samples in a label-free and non-destructive manner. Yet, its adoption to live-cell analysis is limited by the strong attenuation of MIR light in water, often necessitating cell culture geometries that are incompatible with the prolonged viability of cells and with standard high-throughput workflow. Here, we introduce a new approach to MIR microscopy, where cells are imaged through their localized near-field interaction with a plasmonic metasurface. Chemical contrast of distinct molecular groups provided sub-cellular resolution images of the proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids in the cells that were collected using an inverted MIR microscope. Time-lapse imaging of living cells demonstrated that their behaviors, including motility, viability, and substrate adhesion, can be monitored over extended periods of time using low-power MIR light. The presented approach provides a method for the non-perturbative MIR imaging of living cells, which is well-suited for integration with modern high-throughput screening technologies for the label-free, high-content chemical imaging of living cells.

A tutorial on optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) microscopy

This tutorial reviews the rapidly growing field of optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy and chemical imaging. O-PTIR is an infrared super-resolution measurement technique where a shorter wavelength visible probe is used to measure and map infrared (IR) absorption with spatial resolution up to 30× better than conventional techniques such as Fourier transform infrared and direct IR laser imaging systems. This article reviews key limitations of conventional IR instruments, the O-PTIR technology breakthroughs, and their origins that have overcome the prior limitations. This article also discusses recent developments in expanding multi-modal O-PTIR approaches that enable complementary Raman spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy imaging, including wide-field O-PTIR imaging with fluorescence-based detection of IR absorption. Various practical subjects are covered, including sample preparation techniques, optimal measurement configurations, use of IR tags/labels and techniques for data analysis, and visualization. Key O-PTIR applications are reviewed in many areas, including biological and biomedical sciences, environmental and microplastics research, (bio)pharmaceuticals, materials science, cultural heritage, forensics, photonics, and failure analysis.

Light-Material Interactions Using Laser and Flash Sources for Energy Conversion and Storage Applications

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the progress in light-material interactions (LMIs), focusing on lasers and flash lights for energy conversion and storage applications. We discuss intricate LMI parameters such as light sources, interaction time, and fluence to elucidate their importance in material processing. In addition, this study covers various light-induced photothermal and photochemical processes ranging from melting, crystallization, and ablation to doping and synthesis, which are essential for developing energy materials and devices. Finally, we present extensive energy conversion and storage applications demonstrated by LMI technologies, including energy harvesters, sensors, capacitors, and batteries. Despite the several challenges associated with LMIs, such as complex mechanisms, and high-degrees of freedom, we believe that substantial contributions and potential for the commercialization of future energy systems can be achieved by advancing optical technologies through comprehensive academic research and multidisciplinary collaborations.

Click-free imaging of carbohydrate trafficking in live cells using an azido photothermal probe

Real-time tracking of intracellular carbohydrates remains challenging. While click chemistry allows bio-orthogonal tagging with fluorescent probes, the reaction permanently alters the target molecule and only allows a single snapshot. Here, we demonstrate click-free mid-infrared photothermal (MIP) imaging of azide-tagged carbohydrates in live cells. Leveraging the micromolar detection sensitivity for 6-azido-trehalose (TreAz) and the 300-nm spatial resolution of MIP imaging, the trehalose recycling pathway in single mycobacteria, from cytoplasmic uptake to membrane localization, is directly visualized. A peak shift of azide in MIP spectrum further uncovers interactions between TreAz and intracellular protein. MIP mapping of unreacted azide after click reaction reveals click chemistry heterogeneity within a bacterium. Broader applications of azido photothermal probes to visualize the initial steps of the Leloir pathway in yeasts and the newly synthesized glycans in mammalian cells are demonstrated.

Single 5-nm quantum dot detection via microtoroid optical resonator photothermal microscopy

Label-free detection techniques for single particles and molecules play an important role in basic science, disease diagnostics, and nanomaterial investigations. While fluorescence-based methods are tools for single molecule detection and imaging, they are limited by available molecular probes and photoblinking and photobleaching. Photothermal microscopy has emerged as a label-free imaging technique capable of detecting individual nanoabsorbers with high sensitivity. Whispering gallery mode (WGM) microresonators can confine light in a small volume for enhanced light-matter interaction and thus are a promising ultra-sensitive photothermal microscopy platform. Previously, microtoroid optical resonators were combined with photothermal microscopy to detect 250 nm long gold nanorods and 100 nm long polymers. Here, we combine microtoroids with photothermal microscopy to spatially detect single 5 nm diameter quantum dots (QDs) with a signal-to-noise ratio exceeding 104. Photothermal images were generated by point-by-point scanning of the pump laser. Single particle detection was confirmed for 18 nm QDs by high sensitivity fluorescence imaging and for 5 nm QDs via comparison with theory. Our system demonstrates the capability to detect a minimum heat dissipation of 0.75 pW. To achieve this, we integrated our microtoroid based photothermal microscopy setup with a low amplitude modulated pump laser and utilized the proportional-integral-derivative controller output as the photothermal signal source to reduce noise and enhance signal stability. The heat dissipation of these QDs is below that from single dye molecules. We anticipate that our work will have application in a wide variety of fields, including the biological sciences, nanotechnology, materials science, chemistry, and medicine.

Mid-infrared Photothermal Imaging: Instrument and Life Science Applications

Recently developed mid-infrared photothermal (MIP) microscopy has attracted great attention from the research community in terms of video-rate imaging speed, sub-micron resolution, sensitivity in the range of several micro-molars, and suitability for live-cell analysis. In this review, we recount the developmental history of MIP microscopy. Subsequently, we describe the operational principles. Next, we delve into the wide-ranging applications of MIP microscopy to life sciences, spanning various samples from viruses to tissues. We explore the potential of MIP imaging in comprehension of cellular metabolism, cellular responses to chemical stimuli, and the mechanism of diseases. Finally, we discuss the future perspectives of MIP microscopy.

Increasing contrast in water-embedded particles via time-gated mid-infrared photothermal microscopy

The transient dynamics of photothermal signals provide interesting insights into material properties and heat diffusion. In a mid-infrared (mid-IR) photothermal microscope, the imaging contrast in a standard amplitude imaging can decrease due to thermal diffusion effects. It is shown that contrast varies for poly-methyl 2-methylpropenoate (PMMA) particles of different sizes when embedded in an absorbing medium of water (H2O) based on levels of heat exchange under the water absorption resonance. Using time-resolved boxcar (BC) detection, analysis of the transient thermal dynamics at the bead-water interface is presented, and the time decay parameters for 500 nm and 100 nm beads are determined. Enhanced (negative) imaging contrast is observed for less heat exchange between the water and bead, as in the case for the 100 nm bead. For the 500 nm bead, boxcar imaging before heat exchange starts occurring, leads to an increase of the imaging contrast up to a factor of 1.6.

Click-free imaging of carbohydrate trafficking in live cells using an azido photothermal probe

Real-time tracking of intracellular carbohydrates remains challenging. While click chemistry allows bio-orthogonal tagging with fluorescent probes, the reaction permanently alters the target molecule and only allows a single snapshot. Here, we demonstrate click-free mid-infrared photothermal (MIP) imaging of azide-tagged carbohydrates in live cells. Leveraging the micromolar detection sensitivity for 6-azido-trehalose (TreAz) and the 300-nm spatial resolution of MIP imaging, the trehalose recycling pathway in single mycobacteria, from cytoplasmic uptake to membrane localization, is directly visualized. A peak shift of azide in MIP spectrum further uncovers interactions between TreAz and intracellular protein. MIP mapping of unreacted azide after click reaction reveals click chemistry heterogeneity within a bacterium. Broader applications of azido photothermal probes to visualize the initial steps of the Leloir pathway in yeasts and the newly synthesized glycans in mammalian cells are demonstrated.

Dual phase-detected infrared photothermal microscopy

Infrared photothermal microscopy (IPM) has recently gained considerable attention as a versatile analytical platform capable of providing spatially resolved molecular insights across diverse research fields. This technique has led to numerous breakthroughs in the study of compositional variations in functional materials and cellular dynamics in living cells. However, its application to investigate multiple components of temporally dynamic systems, such as living cells and operational devices, has been hampered by the limited information content of the IP signal, which only covers a narrow spectral window (< 1 cm-1). Here, we present a straightforward approach for measuring two distinct IPM images utilizing the orthogonality between the in-phase and quadrature outputs of a lock-in amplifier, called dual-phase IR photothermal (DP-IP) detection. We demonstrate the feasibility of DP-IP detection for IPM in distinguishing two different micro-sized polymer beads.

Optical Photothermal Infrared - Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (OPTIR-FISH)

Understanding the metabolic activities of individual cells within complex communities is critical for unraveling their role in human disease. Here, we present a comprehensive protocol for simultaneous cell identification and metabolic analysis with the OPTIR-FISH platform by combining rRNA-tagged FISH probes and isotope-labeled substrates. Fluorescence imaging provides cell identification by the specific binding of rRNA-tagged FISH probes, while OPTIR imaging provides metabolic activities within single cells by isotope-induced red shift on OPTIR spectra. Using bacteria cultured with 13C-glucose as a test bed, the protocol outlines microbial culture with isotopic labeling, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), sample preparation, optimization of the OPTIR-FISH imaging setup, and data acquisition. We also demonstrate how to perform image analysis and interpret spectral data at the single-cell level with high throughput. This protocol's standardized and detailed nature will greatly facilitate its adoption by researchers from diverse backgrounds and disciplines within the broad single-cell metabolism research community.

Mapping enzyme activity in living systems by real-time mid-infrared photothermal imaging of nitrile chameleons

Simultaneous spatial mapping of the activity of multiple enzymes in a living system can elucidate their functions in health and disease. However, methods based on monitoring fluorescent substrates are limited. Here, we report the development of nitrile (C≡N)-tagged enzyme activity reporters, named nitrile chameleons, for the peak shift between substrate and product. To image these reporters in real time, we developed a laser-scanning mid-infrared photothermal imaging system capable of imaging the enzymatic substrates and products at a resolution of 300 nm. We show that when combined, these tools can map the activity distribution of different enzymes and measure their relative catalytic efficiency in living systems such as cancer cells, Caenorhabditis elegans, and brain tissues, and can be used to directly visualize caspase-phosphatase interactions during apoptosis. Our method is generally applicable to a broad category of enzymes and will enable new analyses of enzymes in their native context.

Monitoring the synthesis of neutral lipids in lipid droplets of living human cancer cells using two-color infrared photothermal microscopy

There has been growing interest in the functions of lipid droplets (LDs) due to recent discoveries regarding their diverse roles. These functions encompass lipid metabolism, regulation of lipotoxicity, and signaling pathways that extend beyond their traditional role in energy storage. Consequently, there is a need to examine the molecular dynamics of LDs at the subcellular level. Two-color infrared photothermal microscopy (2C-IPM) has proven to be a valuable tool for elucidating the molecular dynamics occurring in LDs with sub-micrometer spatial resolution and molecular specificity. In this study, we employed the 2C-IPM to investigate the molecular dynamics of LDs in both fixed and living human cancer cells (U2OS cells) using the isotope labeling method. We investigated the synthesis of neutral lipids occurring in individual LDs over time after exposing the cells to excess saturated fatty acids while simultaneously comparing inherent lipid contents in LDs. We anticipate that these research findings will reveal new opportunities for studying lesser-known biological processes within LDs and other subcellular organelles.

Single-cell mapping of lipid metabolites using an infrared probe in human-derived model systems

Understanding metabolic heterogeneity is the key to uncovering the underlying mechanisms of metabolic-related diseases. Current metabolic imaging studies suffer from limitations including low resolution and specificity, and the model systems utilized often lack human relevance. Here, we present a single-cell metabolic imaging platform to enable direct imaging of lipid metabolism with high specificity in various human-derived 2D and 3D culture systems. Through the incorporation of an azide-tagged infrared probe, selective detection of newly synthesized lipids in cells and tissue became possible, while simultaneous fluorescence imaging enabled cell-type identification in complex tissues. In proof-of-concept experiments, newly synthesized lipids were directly visualized in human-relevant model systems among different cell types, mutation status, differentiation stages, and over time. We identified upregulated lipid metabolism in progranulin-knockdown human induced pluripotent stem cells and in their differentiated microglia cells. Furthermore, we observed that neurons in brain organoids exhibited a significantly lower lipid metabolism compared to astrocytes.

Bond-selective full-field optical coherence tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a label-free, non-invasive 3D imaging tool widely used in both biological research and clinical diagnosis. Conventional OCT modalities can only visualize specimen tomography without chemical information. Here, we report a bond-selective full-field OCT (BS-FF-OCT), in which a pulsed mid-infrared laser is used to modulate the OCT signal through the photothermal effect, achieving label-free bond-selective 3D sectioned imaging of highly scattering samples. We first demonstrate BS-FF-OCT imaging of 1 µm PMMA beads embedded in agarose gel. Next, we show 3D hyperspectral imaging of up to 75 µm of polypropylene fiber mattress from a standard surgical mask. We then demonstrate BS-FF-OCT imaging on biological samples, including cancer cell spheroids and C. elegans. Using an alternative pulse timing configuration, we finally demonstrate the capability of BS-FF-OCT on imaging a highly scattering myelinated axons region in a mouse brain tissue slice.

Time-Resolved Mid-Infrared Photothermal Microscopy for Imaging Water-Embedded Axon Bundles

Few experimental tools exist for performing label-free imaging of biological samples in a water-rich environment due to the high infrared absorption of water, overlapping with major protein and lipid bands. A novel imaging modality based on time-resolved mid-infrared photothermal microscopy is introduced and applied to imaging axon bundles in a saline bath environment. Photothermally induced spatial gradients at the axon bundle membrane interfaces with saline and surrounding biological tissue are observed and temporally characterized by a high-speed boxcar detection system. Localized time profiles with an enhanced signal-to-noise, hyper-temporal image stacks, and two-dimensional mapping of the time decay profiles are acquired without the need for complex post image processing. Axon bundles are found to have a larger distribution of time decay profiles compared to the water background, allowing background differentiation based on these transient dynamics. The quantitative analysis of the signal evolution over time allows characterizing the level of thermal confinement at different regions. When axon bundles are surrounded by complex heterogeneous tissue, which contains smaller features, a stronger thermal confinement is observed compared to a water environment, thus shedding light on the heat transfer dynamics across aqueous biological interfaces.

Stimulated Raman photothermal microscopy toward ultrasensitive chemical imaging

Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy has shown enormous potential in revealing molecular structures, dynamics, and couplings in complex systems. However, the sensitivity of SRS is fundamentally limited to the millimolar level due to shot noise and the small modulation depth. To overcome this barrier, we revisit SRS from the perspective of energy deposition. The SRS process pumps molecules to their vibrationally excited states. The subsequent relaxation heats up the surroundings and induces refractive index changes. By probing the refractive index changes with a laser beam, we introduce stimulated Raman photothermal (SRP) microscopy, where a >500-fold boost of modulation depth is achieved. The versatile applications of SRP microscopy on viral particles, cells, and tissues are demonstrated. SRP microscopy opens a way to perform vibrational spectroscopic imaging with ultrahigh sensitivity.

Stimulated Raman Photothermal Microscopy towards Ultrasensitive Chemical Imaging

Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy has shown enormous potential in revealing molecular structures, dynamics and coupling in a complex system. However, the bond-detection sensitivity of SRS microscopy is fundamentally limited to milli-molar level due to the shot noise and the small modulation depth in either pump or Stokes beam4. Here, to overcome this barrier, we revisit SRS from the perspective of energy deposition. The SRS process pumps molecules to their vibrational excited states. The thereafter relaxation heats up the surrounding and induces a change in refractive index. By probing the refractive index change with a continuous wave beam, we introduce stimulated Raman photothermal (SRP) microscopy, where a >500-fold boost of modulation depth is achieved on dimethyl sulfide with conserved average power. Versatile applications of SRP microscopy on viral particles, cells, and tissues are demonstrated. With much improved signal to noise ratio compared to SRS, SRP microscopy opens a new way to perform vibrational spectroscopic imaging with ultrahigh sensitivity and minimal water absorption.

Thermal transport across membranes and the Kapitza length from photothermal microscopy

An analytical model is presented for light scattering associated with heat transport near a cell membrane that divides a complex system into two topologically distinct half-spaces. Our analysis is motivated by experiments on vibrational photothermal microscopy which have not only demonstrated remarkably high contrast and resolution, but also are capable of providing label-free local information of heat transport in complex morphologies. In the first Born approximation, the derived Green's function leads to the reconstruction of a full 3D image with photothermal contrast obtained using both amplitude and phase detection of periodic excitations. We show that important fundamental parameters including the Kapitza length and Kapitza resistance can be derived from experiments. Our goal is to spur additional experimental studies with high-frequency modulation and heterodyne detection in order to make contact with recent theoretical molecular dynamics calculations of thermal transport properties in membrane systems.

Video-rate mid-infrared photothermal imaging by single-pulse photothermal detection per pixel

By optically sensing absorption-induced photothermal effect, mid-infrared (IR) photothermal (MIP) microscope enables super-resolution IR imaging of biological systems in water. However, the speed of current sample-scanning MIP system is limited to milliseconds per pixel, which is insufficient for capturing living dynamics. By detecting the transient photothermal signal induced by a single IR pulse through fast digitization, we report a laser-scanning MIP microscope that increases the imaging speed by three orders of magnitude. To realize single-pulse photothermal detection, we use synchronized galvo scanning of both mid-IR and probe beams to achieve an imaging line rate of more than 2 kilohertz. With video-rate speed, we observed the dynamics of various biomolecules in living organisms at multiple scales. Furthermore, by using hyperspectral imaging, we chemically dissected the layered ultrastructure of fungal cell wall. Last, with a uniform field of view more than 200 by 200 square micrometer, we mapped fat storage in free-moving Caenorhabditis elegans and live embryos.

Mid-infrared chemical imaging of intracellular tau fibrils using fluorescence-guided computational photothermal microscopy

Amyloid proteins are associated with a broad spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases. However, it remains a grand challenge to extract molecular structure information from intracellular amyloid proteins in their native cellular environment. To address this challenge, we developed a computational chemical microscope integrating 3D mid-infrared photothermal imaging with fluorescence imaging, termed Fluorescence-guided Bond-Selective Intensity Diffraction Tomography (FBS-IDT). Based on a low-cost and simple optical design, FBS-IDT enables chemical-specific volumetric imaging and 3D site-specific mid-IR fingerprint spectroscopic analysis of tau fibrils, an important type of amyloid protein aggregates, in their intracellular environment. Label-free volumetric chemical imaging of human cells with/without seeded tau fibrils is demonstrated to show the potential correlation between lipid accumulation and tau aggregate formation. Depth-resolved mid-infrared fingerprint spectroscopy is performed to reveal the protein secondary structure of the intracellular tau fibrils. 3D visualization of the β-sheet for tau fibril structure is achieved.

Video-rate Mid-infrared Photothermal Imaging by Single Pulse Photothermal Detection per Pixel

By optically sensing the mid-infrared absorption induced photothermal effect, midinfrared photothermal (MIP) microscope enables super-resolution IR imaging and scrutinizing of biological systems in an aqueous environment. However, the speed of current lock-in based sample-scanning MIP system is limited to 1.0 millisecond or longer per pixel, which is insufficient for capturing dynamics inside living systems. Here, we report a single pulse laserscanning MIP microscope that dramatically increases the imaging speed by three orders of magnitude. We harness a lock-in free demodulation scheme which uses high-speed digitization to resolve single IR pulse induced contrast at nanosecond time scale. To realize single pulse photothermal detection at each pixel, we employ two sets of galvo mirrors for synchronized scanning of mid-infrared and probe beams to achieve an imaging line rate over 2 kHz. With video-rate imaging capability, we observed two types of distinct dynamics of lipids in living cells. Furthermore, by hyperspectral imaging, we chemically dissected a single cell wall at nanometer scale. Finally, with a uniform field of view over 200 by 200 μm ² and 2 Hz frame rate, we mapped fat storage in free-moving C. elegans and live embryos.

Mapping Enzyme Activity in Living Systems by Real-Time Mid-Infrared Photothermal Imaging of Nitrile Chameleons

Enzymes are vital components in a variety of physiological and biochemical processes. Participation of various enzyme species are required for many biological events and signaling networks. Thus, spatially mapping the activity of multiple enzymes in a living system is significant for elucidating enzymatic functions in health and connections to diseases. Here, we report the development of nitrile (C≡N)-tagged enzyme activity reporters, named nitrile chameleons for the shifted peak between substrate and product. By real-time mid-infrared photothermal imaging of the enzymatic substrates and products at 300 nm resolution, our approach can map the activity distribution of different enzymes and quantitate the relative catalytic efficiency in living cancer cells, C. elegans, and brain tissues. An important finding is the direct visualization of caspase-phosphatase cooperation during apoptosis. Our method is generally applicable to a broad category of enzymes and will advance the discovery of potential targets for diagnosis and drug development.

High-Throughput Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Escherichia coli by Wide-Field Mid-Infrared Photothermal Imaging of Protein Synthesis

Antimicrobial resistance poses great threats to global health and economics. Current gold-standard antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) requires extensive culture time (36-72 h) to determine susceptibility. There is an urgent need for rapid AST methods to slow down antimicrobial resistance. Here, we present a rapid AST method based on wide-field mid-infrared photothermal imaging of protein synthesis from ¹³C-glucose in Escherichia coli. Our wide-field approach achieved metabolic imaging for hundreds of bacteria at the single-cell resolution within seconds. The perturbed microbial protein synthesis can be probed within 1 h after antibiotic treatment in E. coli cells. The susceptibility of antibiotics with various mechanisms of action has been probed through monitoring protein synthesis, which promises great potential of the proposed platform toward clinical translation.

Mid-Infrared Photothermal-Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization for Functional Analysis and Genetic Identification of Single Cells

Simultaneous identification and metabolic analysis of microbes with single-cell resolution and high throughput are necessary to answer the question of "who eats what, when, and where" in complex microbial communities. Here, we present a mid-infrared photothermal-fluorescence in situ hybridization (MIP-FISH) platform that enables direct bridging of genotype and phenotype. Through multiple improvements of MIP imaging, the sensitive detection of isotopically labeled compounds incorporated into proteins of individual bacterial cells became possible, while simultaneous detection of FISH labeling with rRNA-targeted probes enabled the identification of the analyzed cells. In proof-of-concept experiments, we showed that the clear spectral red shift in the protein amide I region due to incorporation of ¹³C atoms originating from ¹³C-labeled glucose can be exploited by MIP-FISH to discriminate and identify ¹³C-labeled bacterial cells within a complex human gut microbiome sample. The presented methods open new opportunities for single-cell structure-function analyses for microbiology.

Bond-selective intensity diffraction tomography

Recovering molecular information remains a grand challenge in the widely used holographic and computational imaging technologies. To address this challenge, we developed a computational mid-infrared photothermal microscope, termed Bond-selective Intensity Diffraction Tomography (BS-IDT). Based on a low-cost brightfield microscope with an add-on pulsed light source, BS-IDT recovers both infrared spectra and bond-selective 3D refractive index maps from intensity-only measurements. High-fidelity infrared fingerprint spectra extraction is validated. Volumetric chemical imaging of biological cells is demonstrated at a speed of ~20 s per volume, with a lateral and axial resolution of ~350 nm and ~1.1 µm, respectively. BS-IDT's application potential is investigated by chemically quantifying lipids stored in cancer cells and volumetric chemical imaging on Caenorhabditis elegans with a large field of view (~100 µm x 100 µm).

Mid-Infrared Photothermal Microscopy: Principle, Instrumentation, and Applications

Midinfrared photothermal (MIP) microscopy, also called optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) microscopy, is an emerging tool for bond-selective chemical imaging of living biological and material samples. In MIP microscopy, a visible probe beam detects the photothermal-based contrast induced by a vibrational absorption. With submicron spatial resolution, high spectral fidelity, and reduced water absorption background, MIP microscopy has overcome the limitations in infrared chemical imaging methods. In this review, we summarize the basic principle of MIP microscopy, the different origins of MIP contrasts, and recent technology development that pushed the resolution, speed, and sensitivity of MIP imaging to a new stage. We further emphasize its broad applications in life science and material characterization, and provide a perspective of future technical advances.

Ultrafast Widefield Mid-Infrared Photothermal Heterodyne Imaging

Mid-infrared photothermal (MIP) microscopy is a valuable tool for sensitive and fast chemical imaging with high spatial resolution beyond the mid-infrared diffraction limit. The highest sensitivity is usually achieved with heterodyne MIP employing photodetector point-scans and lock-in detection, while the fastest systems use camera-based widefield MIP with pulsed probe light. One challenge is to simultaneously achieve high sensitivity, spatial resolution, and speed in a large field of view. Here, we present widefield mid-infrared photothermal heterodyne (WIPH) imaging, where a digital frequency-domain lock-in (DFdLi) filter is used for simultaneous multiharmonic demodulation of MIP signals recorded by individual camera pixels at frame rates up to 200 kHz. The DFdLi filter enables the use of continuous-wave probe light, which, in turn, eliminates the need for synchronization schemes and allows measuring MIP decay curves. The WIPH approach is characterized by imaging potassium ferricyanide microparticles and applied to detect lipid droplets (alkyne-palmitic acid) in 3T3-L1 fibroblast cells, both in the cell-silent spectral region around 2100 cm^–1 using an external-cavity quantum cascade laser. The system achieved up to 4000 WIPH images per second at a signal-to-noise ratio of 5.52 and 1 μm spatial resolution in a 128 × 128 μm field of view. The technique opens up for real-time chemical imaging of fast processes in biology, medicine, and material science.