High quality visualization of organisms and tissues can provide a powerful approach to understand cellular functions in a systematic manner. So far, state-of-the-art microscopy techniques enable us to image living tissues in three dimensions with a high resolution. However, sample preparation is still reliant much on the know-how of researchers. Samples are often observed via coverslip, resulting in the issue of aberration due to the different reflective index of tissues and glasses. We have developed freestanding ultra-thin polymer films (often called nanosheets) with a thickness of less than 100 nm. The nanosheets represent unique properties such as good adhesiveness and a high degree of transparency. In this study, we propose a novel wrapping mount of water-repellent nanosheets for coverslip-free tissue imaging. We expect that the technique could be improved the issues of aberration and working distance of objective lens.
2020
Zhang H., Yarinome K., Kawakami R., Otomo K., Nemoto T., Okamura Y. (2020) Nanosheet wrapping-assisted coverslip-free imaging for looking deeper into a tissue at high resolution. PLoS ONE, 15: e0227650.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227650.
Zhang H, Sakagami D, Huang W, Kimura H, Okamura Y. (2020) Measurement and Modelling of Tensile Moduli of Polymer Blend Thin Films with Phase Separated Structures. Polymer, 190: 122233.
doi: 10.1016/j.polymer.2020.122233.
2018
Zhang H., Okamura Y. (2018) Elongated Phase Separation Domains in Spin-Cast Polymer Blend Thin Films Characterized with a Panoramic Image. Soft Matter, 14: 1050-1055.
doi:10.1039/c7sm02144e.
Nagase Y., Suleimenova B., Umeda C., Taira K., Oda T., Suzuki S., Okamura Y., Koguchi S. (2018) Syntheses of Aromatic Polymers Containing Imidazolium Moiety and the Surface Modification of a Highly Gas Permeable Membrane Using the Nanosheets. Polymer, 135: 142-153.
doi:10.1016/j.polymer.2017.12.016.
2017
Zhang H., Masuda A., Kawakami R., Yarinome K., Saito R., Nagase Y., Nemoto T., Okamura Y. (2017) Fluoropolymer Nanosheet as a Wrapping Mount for High Quality Tissue Imaging. Advanced Materials, 29: 1703139.
doi:10.1002/adma.201703139.
Huang K.C., Yano F., Murahashi Y., Takano S., Kitaura Y., Chang S.H., Ueng S.W.N., Tanaka S., Ishihara K., Okamura Y., Moro T., Saito, T. (2017) Sandwich-Type PLLA-Nanosheets Loaded with BMP-2 Induce Bone Regeneration in Critical-Sized Mouse Calvarial Defects. Acta Biomaterialia, 59: 12-20.
doi:10.1016/j.actbio.2017.06.041.
