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Press Releases

DATE2025.01.30 #Press Releases

Realization of 3D observation of transparency-enhanced tissue specimens with a palm-sized device

-Realization of a compact selective plane illumination microscopy that can be used by anyone, anytime, anywhere-

Summary

A research team by Project Researcher Hiroshi Onodera and Specially Appointed Professor Junji Yumoto of the Institute for Photon Science and Technology, School of Science, The University of Tokyo; dispatched staff Asami Tanaka of the Photon Science Center, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo; Director Kenji Uehara of Miyuki Giken Co., Ltd.; and Takumi Murakami of Nippon Electric Glass Co.,Ltd.; and President Yusuke Morishita of PhotonTech Innovations Co., Ltd. has developed an extremely simple and compact 3D imaging system for transparent tissue specimens targeted for researches in bioscience and pathology. It has a resolution that is fully comparable to conventional 3D imaging systems; and an installation cost that is only a few tenths of that of conventional systems.

HandySPIM consists of a light sheet emitting part and a specimen translation stage part and by placing HandySPIM on the stage of a conventional 2D microscope, a 2D image of fluorescence emission using the light sheet as excitation is captured by the microscope. 3D imaging is realized by moving the sample up and down.(Figure) The thickness of the light sheet in HandySPIM is about 20μm, and the LED light is simply coupled to an ultra-thin sheet of glass 10-20μm thick, 20 mm wide, and 10 mm long, and the light sheet is emitted from its opposing end surface. Transparency of specimens is also important to obtain high-quality 3D images, and it has been shown that high transparency can be achieved by using LUCID, developed by Onodera. Furthermore, specimens made transparent by LUCID can be preserved for more than 10 years, a feature not achieved by other transparency reagents. In the future, we expect that the use of LUCID and HandySPIM will lead to the development of remote 3D pathological diagnosis.


Figure:(Left) HandySPIM, consisting of a light sheet generation module and a height-movable sample holder. The power supply is USB-C. (Right) HandySPIM on the stage of an ordinary microscope. 

Links:Miyuki Giken Co., Ltd., Nippon Electric Glass Co.,Ltd., PhotonTech Innovations Co., Ltd.

Conference information

Name of conference
SPIE Photonics West 2025
Conference13323 Imaging, Manipulation, and Analysis of Biomolecules, Cells, and Tissues XXIII
Title of paper