Analytical Sciences

Development of a Near-infrared Laser-induced Surface Deformation Microscope and Its Application to the Dynamic Viscoelastic Measurements of Single Living Plant Cell Surfaces

Toshinori MORISAKU,*1 Hitomi ONUKI,*2 Kenji HASHIMOTO,*3 Kazuyuki KUCHITSU,*3,*4 and Hiroharu YUI*1,*2

*1 Water Frontier Science & Technology Research Center, Research Institute for Science & Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 1-3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan
*2 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo University of Science, 1-3 Kagurazaka, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8601, Japan
*3 Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda 278-8510, Japan
*4 Imaging Frontier Center, Research Institute for Science & Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda 278-8510, Japan

A near-infrared laser-induced surface deformation (NIR-LISD) microscope is developed and is applied to the dynamic viscoelastic measurements of the surface of a living plant cell. In the microscope, the deformation of the surface is induced by an NIR laser beam, and then the change in intensity of the probe beam reflected from the surface reflects its viscoelasticity. The application of the NIR laser beam has a great advantage for the prevention of damage to the plant cell compared to the irradiation of a visible laser beam in LISD measurements. The NIR-LISD microscope allows for discriminating the differences in power spectra between the subapical and lateral regions of single rhizoids. It is a useful method for the dynamic viscoelastic measurements of cells, such as plant cells, that are damaged due to the strong absorption of ultraviolet or visible light.

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