title: Effects of objective numerical apertures on achievable imaging depths in multiphoton microscopy.
abstract: Multiphoton microscopy is a powerful technique for achieving three-dimensional submicron imaging in biological specimens. However, specimen optical parameters such as refractive indices and scattering coefficients can result in the loss of image resolution and decreased signal in depth. These factors are coupled to the focusing objective's numerical aperture (NA) in limiting the achievable imaging depths. In this work, we performed multiphoton imaging on aqueous fluorescent solution, human skin, and rat tail tendon to show that, under the same immersion condition, lower NA objectives can examine more deeply into biological specimens and should be used when optimal imaging depths is desired.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Kuan
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.forename: Yen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Sung-Jan
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shiou-Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.forename: Chen-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D036641:Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiphoton / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology*; D013710:Tendons / Q000166:cytology*