Deep tissue multiphoton microscopy using longer wavelength excitation

We compare the maximal two-photon fluorescence microscopy (TPM) imaging depth achieved with 775-nm excitation to that achieved with 1280-nm excitation through in vivo and ex vivo TPM of fluorescently-labeled blood vessels in mouse brain. We achieved high contrast imaging of blood vessels at approximately twice the depth with 1280-nm excitation as with 775-nm excitation. An imaging depth of 1 mm can be achieved in in vivo imaging of adult mouse brains at 1280 nm with approximately 1-nJ pulse energy at the sample surface. Blood flow speed measurements at a depth of 900 mu m are performed. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America