Abstract
The field of Brillouin microscopy and imaging was established approximately 20 years ago, thanks to the development of non-scanning high-resolution optical spectrometers. Since then, the field has experienced rapid expansion, incorporating technologies from telecommunications, astrophotonics, multiplexed microscopy, quantum optics and machine learning. Consequently, these advancements have led to much-needed improvements in imaging speed, spectral resolution and sensitivity. The progress in Brillouin microscopy is driven by a strong demand for label-free and contact-free methods to characterize the mechanical properties of biomaterials at the cellular and subcellular scales. Understanding the local biomechanics of cells and tissues has become crucial in predicting cellular fate and tissue pathogenesis. This Primer aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the methods and applications of Brillouin microscopy. It includes key demonstrations of Brillouin microscopy and imaging that can serve as a reference for the existing research community and new adopters of this technology. The article concludes with an outlook, presenting the authors' vision for future developments in this vibrant field. The Primer also highlights specific examples where Brillouin microscopy can have a transformative impact on biology and biomedicine.
🔬 Techniques
🧬 Organisms
🧪 Sample Preparation
🔬 Cell Lines
🏛️ Research Organizations (ROR)
Affiliated research institutions:
📊 Figures
Fig. 1 |
Principles of Brillouin light scattering microscopy.
a , A conventional compression test (bulk properties) and Brillouin microscopy (local properties) for measuring mechanics in biomaterials. In Brillouin microscopy, a focused light beam is scattered by...
Fig. 2 |
Length scales of the Brillouin light scattering process.
The principal length scales that drive the spatial resolution of Brillouin spectroscopy. The scattering volume, V , which depends on the optical components (microscope objective and laser wavelength),...
Fig. 3 |
Characteristic parameters of Brillouin microscopy experiments.
The acquisition time per pixel, u03c4 (seconds) and the lateral imaging resolution, X (microns). Parameters are based on the following experiment type: tandem Fabryu2013Perot interferometer (TFPI) 36 ...
Fig. 4 |
Brillouin imaging technology.
a , Confocal Brillouin microscopy. b , Line-scanning Brillouin microscopy (LSBM). c , Continuous-wave stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) microscopy. d , Impulsive stimulated Brillouin scattering (I...
Fig. 5 |
Representative data obtained using Brillouin technology.
a , Brillouin frequency shift (BFS) and linewidth of gelatine versus polymer volume fraction, acquired by a spontaneous Brillouin microscope with 532 nm laser source. Red triangles represent theoretic...
Fig. 6 |
Ballistic and multiple Brillouin scattering processes.
a, A Brillouin light scattering (BLS) process occurring in a transparent medium, where all scattered photons are ballistic and the scattering geometry defines the exchanged vector q . b , A multiple s...
Fig. 7 |
A typical workflow depicting analysis of Brillouin microscopy data with modern machine learning approaches.
The high-dimensional raw data can generally be more easily interpreted through dimension reduction, for example by principal component analysis (PCA) as illustrated. The lower-dimensional representati...
Fig. 8 |
Application of Brillouin microscopy to ocular disease diagnostics and treatment.
a , Healthy corneas have nearly spherical shape to provide needed refraction for proper vision. b , In keratoconus, a focal weakening of the cornea disrupts the mechanical balance with intraocular pre...
Figure images are served from the NIH/NLM PubMed Central Open Access Subset or Europe PMC; copyright remains with the publishers and authors.
💬 Discussion
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