Acta Neuropharmacologica ›› 2012, Vol. 2 ›› Issue (1): 45-64.

Previous Articles    

In Vivo Application of Two-photon Microscopy in Neuropharmacological Research

ZHAO Jun,WANG Jin-hui   

  1. State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
  • Online:2012-02-26 Published:2013-05-06
  • Contact: 王晋辉,男,研究员,博士生导师;研究方向:神经生理学和神经药理学;联系电话:86-10-64888472,传真:86-10-64871293,Email:jhw@sun5.ibp.ac.cn
  • About author:赵君,男,中国科学院生物物理研究所博士生;联系电话:86-10-64862572,Email:zhaojun0701@msn.com
  • Supported by:

    国家重点基础研究发展计划(973)基金(N2011CB504405) ,国家自然科学基金 (30990261 和 81171033)

Abstract: Two-photon microscope is an useful and advanced tool for noninvasive deep fluorescence imaging in the intact brain tissue of living animals. Due to nonlinear two-photon effects, two-photon microscope enables long-term imaging in vivo with deeper detection, higher signal-to-noise ratio and lower photodamage, compared to wide-field and confocal microscopy. Two-photon microscopy can provide high-resolution images to study cellular and subcellular structure and function, including morphology, mobility and intracellular ions of cells. On the other hand, large scale two-photon imaging of cell population reveals the network construction and activity dynamics with single-cell resolution, which makes two-photon microscopy a high throughput tool in system pharmacology. Moreover, two-photon microscopy can offer some precise optical operations, such as photolysis, photoactivation, phototransfection and photodamage. Here, we give an introduction to the principles of two-photon microscopy and its in vivo applications in neuroscience and neuropharmacology researches.

Key words: Two-photon, System pharmacology, calcium imaging, hemodynamics, optical operation, brain imaging

CLC Number: