1. Miniature three-photon microscopy (m3PM) has been developed to enable high-resolution brain imaging in freely behaving rodents.
2. An optical configuration was designed to maximize fluorescence-collection efficiency, reducing excitation energy and phototoxicity in deep-tissue imaging.
3. The m3PM was used to image calcium transients in the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) and underlying hippocampal CA1, as well as third-harmonic generation (THG) signals from structures like the dura, brain vasculature, and corpus callosum (CC).
The article “Miniature three-photon microscopy maximized for scattered fluorescence collection” is a detailed description of a new miniature three-photon microscope (m3PM) that has been developed to enable high-resolution brain imaging in freely behaving rodents. The article provides an overview of the optical design and configuration of the m3PM system, as well as its performance in collecting scattered photons. It also describes the system's capabilities for minimally invasive imaging of deep brain functional and structural features in head-fixed and freely moving animals.
The article is generally reliable and trustworthy, providing detailed information on the design and performance of the m3PM system. The authors provide evidence for their claims through simulations, experiments with fluorescent beads, and imaging results from head-fixed mice. Furthermore, they discuss potential risks associated with using higher laser powers for deeper tissue imaging.
However, there are some points that could be further explored or clarified in future research. For example, while the authors discuss potential risks associated with higher laser powers for deeper tissue imaging, they do not provide any data on how these higher laser powers may affect tissue damage or phototoxicity over time. Additionally, while they discuss possible applications of their m3PM system for exploring layer 6 neurons in the PPC during a single-pellet reaching task, they do not provide any data on how these neurons may be involved in sensorimotor transformation during this task. Finally, while they mention that their m3PM technology opens up possibilities for minimally invasive imaging of entire cerebral cortices and subcortical deep brain regions that are otherwise inaccessible under free-moving paradigms, they do not provide any data on how this technology may be used to explore such regions or what insights it may yield about them.
In conclusion, overall