AUTHOR=Lim Hyungsik 

TITLE=Harmonic Generation Microscopy 2.0: New Tricks Empowering Intravital Imaging for Neuroscience

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-biosciences/articles/10.3389/fmolb.2019.00099

DOI=10.3389/fmolb.2019.00099

ISSN=2296-889X

ABSTRACT=<p>Optical harmonic generation, e.g., second- (SHG) and third-harmonic generation (THG), provides intrinsic contrasts for three-dimensional intravital microscopy. Contrary to two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF), however, they have found relatively specialized applications, such as imaging collagenous and non-specific tissues, respectively. Here we review recent advances that broaden the capacity of SHG and THG for imaging the central nervous system in particular. The fundamental contrast mechanisms are reviewed as they encode novel information including molecular origin, spectroscopy, functional probes, and image analysis, which lay foundations for promising future applications in neuroscience.</p>