3-dimensional imaging of collagen using second harmonic generation.
Collagen is the most important structural protein of the animal body. Its unique triple-helix structure and extremely high level of crystallinity make it exceptionally efficient in generating the second harmonic of incident light, and we show here how this leads to a novel mode of microscopy of immediate practical significance in medicine and biology. In particular, it provides sensitive and high-resolution information on collagen distribution, discriminates between type I and type III collagen, and allows both a greater understanding of and a sensitive test for cirrhosis of the liver. Future research applications could include wound healing and hereditary collagen diseases such as osteogenesis imperfecta.
Cox
Guy
G
Electron Microscope Unit, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. guy@emu.usyd.edu.au
Kable
Eleanor
E
Jones
Allan
A
Fraser
Ian
I
Manconi
Frank
F
Gorrell
Mark D
MD
D000818:Animals; D015209:Cholangitis, Sclerosing / Q000378:metabolism; D003094:Collagen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D020405:Dermis / Q000378:metabolism; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008027:Light; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D007614:Macropodidae; D051379:Mice; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D013623:Tail / Q000378:metabolism; D013710:Tendons / Q000378:metabolism
D003094:Collagen