Mechanisms of Light Scattering in Living Tissue

描述(由申请人提供)：该项目致力于开发新的分析、计算和实验方法来模拟和分析生物组织中的光散射。弹性散射是光-组织相互作用的主要机制，在所有的光传输过程中起着基础性的作用，并被广泛用于提供关于组织结构和组成的诊断信息。然而，像组织这样的复杂介质中的弹性散射还没有完全被理解。关于组织中散射的起源和解释散射信号的适当方法仍然存在问题。弥合这一差距是该项目的主要目标。我们将专注于用于显微镜应用的弹性光相互作用。这需要开发创新的计算和实验解决方案。这项研究将阐明哪些细胞结构影响散射信号和成像，哪些细胞的形态属性可以用光学方法研究，以及同样重要的是，哪些属性不能被探测。特别是，重点将放在传感细胞的次衍射纳米级特性上。我们将开发一个免费、开源、用户友好的FDTD电磁模拟软件，用于生物医学光散射应用。我们将把细胞的光学和超微结构特性联系起来。最后，使用在项目过程中开发的计算和实验方法，我们将确定纳米结构变化在早期癌症发生中的特定细胞起源。 与公共卫生相关：发展强有力的光-组织相互作用分析方法将允许设计用于组织诊断的光学技术。特别是，拟议的工作将促进一种显微技术的发展，以识别癌症发生过程中细胞纳米结构的一些最早变化。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project addresses development of novel analytical, computational and experimental methodologies to model and analyze light scattering in biological tissue. Elastic scattering is the dominant mechanism of light-tissue interaction, plays a fundamental role in all light transport processes, and has been widely employed to provide diagnostic information about tissue structure and composition. However, elastic scattering in such complex media as tissue has not been fully understood. Questions remain regarding the origins of scattering in tissue and the appropriate methods of interpreting scattering signals. Bridging this gap is the main objective of the project. We will focus on elastic light interactions for microscopy applications. This requires development of innovative computational and experimental solutions. The study will elucidate which cellular structures affect scattering signal and image formation, which morphological properties of cells can be studied optically and, equally importantly, which properties cannot be probed. In particular, the focus will be on sensing sub-diffractional, nanoscale properties of cells. We will develop a free, open-source, user-friendly finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) electromagnetic simulation software for use in biomedical light scattering applications. We will relate optical and ultrastructural properties of cells. Finally, using the computational and experimental methodologies developed in the course of the project, we will identify specific cellular origins of nanoarchitectural changes in early carcinogenesis. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Development of robust methods of analysis of light-tissue interaction will allow design of optical techniques for tissue diagnosis. In particular, the proposed work will facilitate development of a microscopic technique to identify some of the earliest alterations of cellular nanoarchitecture in carcinogenesis.