Label-free imaging of bipolar cell axons in mouse retina by secondharmonic generation

摘要

Here we present label-free imaging of retinal bipolar cell axons by second-harmonic generation microscopy. Thenonlinear optical signal arises from uniformly polarized microtubules, providing a surrogate contrast for the functionalintegrity of axons. The unique properties of microtubule SHG from the inner plexiform layer were employed for testingan outstanding hypothesis in glaucoma, namely, the persistence of BC axons in the disease during a critical period whenthe synaptic connections to the retinal ganglion cells are lost.