Adaptive optics two-photon microscopy for in vivo imaging of cortex and hippocampus in mouse brain

摘要

Two-photon microscopy is a powerful tool for in vivo brain imaging that has greatly facilitated the neuroscience researchin the past few decades. However, it still remains a challenge to image deep inside the brain with near diffraction-limitedresolution due to the optical aberrations induced by the biological tissue and the cranial window. Here, we used anadaptive optics approach based on direct wavefront sensing to correct the aberration induced by the thinned skullwindow and achieved minimally invasive imaging of cerebral cortex with near-diffraction-limit resolution. Besides, bycompensating the intrinsic aberration of a miniature gradient-index lens that implanted into the brain, two-photonimaging of hippocampal dendritic spines was realized over an extended field of view. The improvement in fluorescenceintensity and imaging resolution enabled us to resolve the fine structures in live mouse brain such as dendritic spines thatwere invisible without the help of adaptive optics.