May 10, 2024

Pioneering Single-Pixel Technology Achieves 3D Imaging of Living Cells

Scientists have established a groundbreaking three-dimensional single-pixel imaging (3D-SPI) strategy based on 3D light-field lighting. (Microscopic imaging artists idea.).
Scientists have originated a 3D-SPI method that enables high-resolution imaging of microscopic things, presenting a transformative method for future biomedical research study and optical sensing.
A research study team led by Prof. Lei Gong from the University of Science and Technology (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and collaborators developed a three-dimensional single-pixel imaging (3D-SPI) method based upon 3D light-field illumination( 3D-LFI), which allows volumetric imaging of tiny objects with a near-diffraction-limit 3D optical resolution. They further showed its ability of 3D visualization of label-free optical absorption contrast by imaging single algal cells in vivo.
The study titled “Optical Single-Pixel Volumetric Imaging by Three-dimensional Light-Field Illumination” was published just recently in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Schematic diagram of 3D-SPI technique. Credit: Image by LIU Yifan.
Benefits of SPI.
Single-pixel imaging (SPI) has ended up being an appealing 3D imaging method. Through single-pixel detectors rather of conventional variety sensors, the performance of SPI exceeds the conventional ones in spectral range, detection effectiveness, and timing reaction. The single-cell cameras surpass standard imaging methods at weak strength, single-photon level, and exact timing resolution.
Breakthroughs and difficulties.
3D-SPI techniques usually depend upon time-of-flight (TOF) or stereovision to extract depth info. Existing applications can only reach a millimeter level at finest, which is incapable of imaging microscopic things like cells.
To exceed the resolution constraint, the scientists built a 3D-LFI-SPM model. As a result, the model achieves an imaging volume of ~ 390 × 390 × 3,800 μm3 and a resolution of up to 2.7 μm laterally and 37 μm axially. They carried out label-free 3D imaging of living Haematococcus pluvialis cells and effectively counted the living cells in situ.
Potential Applications.
Predictably, the approach can be used to visualize different absorption contrasts of biological samples. With depth-resolved imaging ability, researchers may be possibly able to keep an eye on cell morphology and growth in situ in the future. The research opens the door to high-performance 3D SPI with applications in biomedical research study and optical noticing.
Recommendation: “Optical single-pixel volumetric imaging by three-dimensional light-field illumination” by Yifan Liu, Panpan Yu, Yijing Wu, Jinghan Zhuang, Ziqiang Wang, Yinmei Li, Puxiang Lai, Jinyang Liang and Lei Gong, 24 July 2023, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.DOI: 10.1073/ pnas.2304755120.

Scientists have established a groundbreaking three-dimensional single-pixel imaging (3D-SPI) method based on 3D light-field lighting. (Microscopic imaging artists principle.).
Single-pixel imaging (SPI) has become an attractive 3D imaging modality. They carried out label-free 3D imaging of living Haematococcus pluvialis cells and successfully counted the living cells in situ.