Advances in Deep Brain Imaging with Quantum Dots: Structural, Functional, and Disease-Specific Roles
Quantum dots (QDs) have emerged as promising tools in advancing multiphoton microscopy (MPM) for deep brain imaging, addressing long-standing challenges in resolution, penetration depth, and light–tissue interactions. MPM, which relies on nonlinear photon absorption, enables fluorescence imaging wit...
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MDPI AG
2024-12-01
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| author | Tenesha Connor Hemal Weerasinghe Justin Lathia Clemens Burda Murat Yildirim |
| author_facet | Tenesha Connor Hemal Weerasinghe Justin Lathia Clemens Burda Murat Yildirim |
| author_sort | Tenesha Connor |
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| description | Quantum dots (QDs) have emerged as promising tools in advancing multiphoton microscopy (MPM) for deep brain imaging, addressing long-standing challenges in resolution, penetration depth, and light–tissue interactions. MPM, which relies on nonlinear photon absorption, enables fluorescence imaging within defined volumes, effectively reducing background noise and photobleaching. However, achieving greater depths remains limited by light scattering and absorption, compounded by the need for balanced laser power to avoid tissue damage. QDs, nanoscale semiconductor particles with unique optical properties, offer substantial advantages over traditional fluorophores, including high quantum yields, large absorption cross-sections, superior photostability, and tunable emission spectra. These properties enhance signal to background ratio at increased depths and reduce scattering effects, making QDs ideal for imaging subcortical regions like the hippocampus without extensive microscope modifications. Studies have demonstrated the capability of QDs to achieve imaging depths up to 2100 μm, far exceeding that of conventional fluorophores. Beyond structural imaging, QDs facilitate functional imaging applications, such as high-resolution tracking of hemodynamic responses and neural activity, supporting investigations of neuronal dynamics and blood flow in vivo. Their stability enables long-term, targeted drug delivery and photodynamic therapy, presenting potential therapeutic applications in treating brain tumors, Alzheimer’s disease, and traumatic brain injury. This review highlights the impact of QDs on MPM, their effectiveness in overcoming light attenuation in deep tissue, and their expanding role in diagnosing and treating neurological disorders, positioning them as transformative agents for both brain imaging and intervention. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aa453bbf5de74a68973e491e3458bf03 |
| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-aa453bbf5de74a68973e491e3458bf032025-01-24T13:46:08ZengMDPI AGPhotonics2304-67322024-12-01121310.3390/photonics12010003Advances in Deep Brain Imaging with Quantum Dots: Structural, Functional, and Disease-Specific RolesTenesha Connor0Hemal Weerasinghe1Justin Lathia2Clemens Burda3Murat Yildirim4Department of Neurosciences, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, OH 44195, USADepartment of Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USADepartment of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, OH 44195, USADepartment of Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USADepartment of Neurosciences, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, OH 44195, USAQuantum dots (QDs) have emerged as promising tools in advancing multiphoton microscopy (MPM) for deep brain imaging, addressing long-standing challenges in resolution, penetration depth, and light–tissue interactions. MPM, which relies on nonlinear photon absorption, enables fluorescence imaging within defined volumes, effectively reducing background noise and photobleaching. However, achieving greater depths remains limited by light scattering and absorption, compounded by the need for balanced laser power to avoid tissue damage. QDs, nanoscale semiconductor particles with unique optical properties, offer substantial advantages over traditional fluorophores, including high quantum yields, large absorption cross-sections, superior photostability, and tunable emission spectra. These properties enhance signal to background ratio at increased depths and reduce scattering effects, making QDs ideal for imaging subcortical regions like the hippocampus without extensive microscope modifications. Studies have demonstrated the capability of QDs to achieve imaging depths up to 2100 μm, far exceeding that of conventional fluorophores. Beyond structural imaging, QDs facilitate functional imaging applications, such as high-resolution tracking of hemodynamic responses and neural activity, supporting investigations of neuronal dynamics and blood flow in vivo. Their stability enables long-term, targeted drug delivery and photodynamic therapy, presenting potential therapeutic applications in treating brain tumors, Alzheimer’s disease, and traumatic brain injury. This review highlights the impact of QDs on MPM, their effectiveness in overcoming light attenuation in deep tissue, and their expanding role in diagnosing and treating neurological disorders, positioning them as transformative agents for both brain imaging and intervention.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/1/3quantum dotsmulti-photon imaging2-photon microscopy3-photon microscopyfluorophoresdeep brain imaging |
| spellingShingle | Tenesha Connor Hemal Weerasinghe Justin Lathia Clemens Burda Murat Yildirim Advances in Deep Brain Imaging with Quantum Dots: Structural, Functional, and Disease-Specific Roles Photonics quantum dots multi-photon imaging 2-photon microscopy 3-photon microscopy fluorophores deep brain imaging |
| title | Advances in Deep Brain Imaging with Quantum Dots: Structural, Functional, and Disease-Specific Roles |
| title_full | Advances in Deep Brain Imaging with Quantum Dots: Structural, Functional, and Disease-Specific Roles |
| title_fullStr | Advances in Deep Brain Imaging with Quantum Dots: Structural, Functional, and Disease-Specific Roles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Advances in Deep Brain Imaging with Quantum Dots: Structural, Functional, and Disease-Specific Roles |
| title_short | Advances in Deep Brain Imaging with Quantum Dots: Structural, Functional, and Disease-Specific Roles |
| title_sort | advances in deep brain imaging with quantum dots structural functional and disease specific roles |
| topic | quantum dots multi-photon imaging 2-photon microscopy 3-photon microscopy fluorophores deep brain imaging |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/12/1/3 |
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