Protein-based molecular contrast optical coherence tomography with phytochrome as the contrast agent

Opt Lett. 2004 Jun 15;29(12):1396-8. doi: 10.1364/ol.29.001396.

Abstract

We report the use of phytochrome A (phyA), a plant protein that can reversibly switch between two states with different absorption maxima (at 660 and 730 nm), as a contrast agent for molecular contrast optical coherence tomography (MCOCT). Our MCOCT scheme builds up a difference image revealing the distribution of phyA within a target sample from pairs of consecutive OCT A-scans acquired at a probe wavelength of 750 nm, both with and without additional illumination of the target sample with 660-nm light. We demonstrate molecular imaging with this new MCOCT modality in a target sample containing a mixture of 0.2% Intralipid and 83 microM of phyA.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Contrast Media / analysis
  • Contrast Media / chemistry*
  • Fat Emulsions, Intravenous / analysis*
  • Fat Emulsions, Intravenous / chemistry
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Molecular Probe Techniques*
  • Molecular Probes / analysis
  • Molecular Probes / chemistry
  • Phytochrome / analysis
  • Phytochrome / chemistry*
  • Phytochrome / ultrastructure*
  • Phytochrome A
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods*

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • Fat Emulsions, Intravenous
  • Molecular Probes
  • Phytochrome A
  • Phytochrome