Work

Detection of fungal spores and airway-associated large vessels using two-photon microscopy

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Two-photon microscopy allows imaging of biological objects at a wide scale of resolution, from cells to organs, both with fluorescent labels and label-free. We applied this method to investigate the pathophysiological conditions under which spores of A. fumigatus, an opportunistic fungus, can penetrate blood vessels. In the present study, using second harmonic generation in the optically cleared mouse lungs, we visualized airways and lung vessels. We developed an image processing approach that allows us to distinguish the images of vessels and airways. Using the approach previously developed by us to investigate the distribution of fungal spores in the airways, we estimated the number of in advance fluorescently labeled spores of A. fumigatus associated with the lung vessels of immunocompetent mice 48[Formula: see text]h after the application. The study demonstrates that using two-photon microscopy for fluorescently labeled specimens in combination with second harmonic generation can be used for imaging microscale objects such as cells or pathogens in the lung vessels.

Source: Journal of Innovative Optical Health Sciences

DOI: 10.1142/s1793545826400213