Development of two-photon photodynamic microscope and its medical applications

We have developed a two-photon uncaging microscope to optically deliver glutamate at single synapses in the brain, and revealed that spine synapses are highly motile and readily change their structures in response to learning stimuli. We will extend this approach to other photochemical reactions, and apply such two-photon photodynamic microscopes to study functions of the brain and secretory glands and their disorders. The two-photon microscope is the least invasive optical approach to study cellular and molecular events relatively deep in the tissues, and is able to visualize functioning of nano-materials directly in vivo and to assess regenerated tissues. We will explore various possibilities of two-photon photodynamic microscopes and assist development of nanotherapy.