Miniature Imaging Device with a Portable Processing System for Fluorescence Detection of Nitric Oxide in Living

Abstract

Keywords: complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, portable processing system, fluorescence imaging, nitric oxide, cell culture experiment Fluorescence imaging is a powerful tool for studying the functions of nitric oxide (NO). To improve this method of studying the mechanisms of NO related with behaviors in freely moving animals, we developed a miniature imaging device with a portable processing system. The miniature device was integrated with a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, blue light-emitting diodes as an excitation NO probe, and an absorption filter for filtering the excitation light. The portable processing system is lightweight and can be placed on a small animal body. We successfully detected fluorescent images in living cells and captured mouse brain surfaces under implantation conditions using the imaging device. Furthermore, we determined that our device contributes to understanding the in vivo functions of NO in a small animal body.