Purdue Research Foundation

Kwan Jeong

David D Nolte

John J Turek

Maria Josef Lopera

Apparatuses and methods for investigating the inside of a tissue cell are disclosed. Embodiments include diffusely scattering light off a target sample, producing two crossing beams from the scattered light, and using a camera to create an image from the light. Some embodiments utilize a Fourier lens and a Fresnel biprism, and optionally include a long-coherence light source, a delay plate (which can be a polarization rotator or an optical flat), and/or a beam expander. Still further embodiments utilize a diffraction grating, a spatial filter (which may include two differently sized apertures), and a Fourier lens, and optionally include differently sized apertures in the spatial filter. Some embodiments include a transparent support and illuminating the target at an oblique angle through the transparent support. Still further embodiments utilize a low-coherence light source and/or immobilizing the sample tissue using surface bonding chemistry.

Apparatuses and methods for examining the movement of constituents within tissue cells

A system for motility contrast imaging a biological target within tissue comprising a CCD array; an illumination source for generating an incoming beam; a first beam splitter for receiving the incoming beam and producing an object beam and a reference beam; a second beam splitter for illuminating a multitude of biological targets with the object beam and for directing backscattered object beams towards the CCD array; a computer-controlled delay stage for zero-path-matching the reference beam to the backscattered object beams; a reference beam that intersects the backscattered object beams at an angle to produce a series of interference fringes that modulate Fourier-domain information; and a computer for receiving a time series of Fourier-domain information. The interference fringes between the backscattered object beam and the reference beam are recorded by the CCD array and passed to the computer which constructs a digital hologram at successive times.

Method and apparatus for motility contrast imaging

Motility contrast imaging (MCI) is a depth-resolved holographic technique to extract cellular and subcellular motion inside tissue. The holographic basis of the measurement technique makes it highly susceptible to mechanical motion. The motility contrast application, in particular, preferably includes increased mechanical stability because the signal is based on time-varying changes caused by cellular motion, not to be confused with mechanical motion of the system. The use of the resulting spectrogram response signatures, or 'fingerprint' data, of known compounds is disclosed to screen new compounds for leads as to those having potentially beneficial mechanisms of action. The 'fingerprint' data of known toxic compounds can be used to screen new compounds for toxicity.

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Seoul, South Korea

Kwan Jeong