Turn on cookies to sign in
Signing in saves your progress to your Curie account. We can only do that with cookies on — turn them on to continue.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a breakthrough microscopy technique that films the inner workings of living cells in real-time 3D. The new method — called MIP-ODT — is roughly 400 times faster than previous approaches, capturing nearly 20 images per second without using toxic dyes. It could open new doors for studying diseases like neurodegeneration.
Scientists at the University of Tokyo have unveiled a high-speed, label-free microscopy technique that can capture living cell activity in three dimensions — fast enough to create actual videos of biological processes unfolding in real time. The method, called video-rate mid-infrared photothermal optical diffraction tomography (MIP-ODT), uses mid-infrared light to detect the unique chemical "signatures" of different molecules inside a cell, then stitches together multi-angle snapshots into a 3D image — all without the toxic dyes that other techniques require.
The team achieved this by using a spatial light modulator to rapidly switch illumination angles and by optimizing the signal-to-noise ratio of each image. In early tests, they successfully tracked the movement of lipid droplets — tiny structures that regulate energy storage — in 3D space, revealing transport behaviors invisible to 2D imaging.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Beyond cell biology, researchers see potential in studying biomolecular condensates linked to neurodegenerative diseases, potentially paving the way for new treatments.
