2023/09/12 by Rafael Ramírez Romero, Rafael Romero, Jingwei Zhao +10 · 3 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Chemistry · Engineering · Medicine · #Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques #Biology #Biomedical engineering #Biosensors and Analytical Detection #Chemistry #Confocal #Confocal microscopy #Human skin #In vivo #Lens (geology) #Materials science #Medicine #Melanin #Microscope #Microscopy #Optical Coherence Tomography Applications #Optics #Physics #Specular reflection
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/jmi.13225
published in Journal of Microscopy 292(1), 47-55 (Wiley)
openalex publication_date 2023/09/12 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
We present the development of a simple, handheld cross-polarised microscope (CPM) and demonstration of imaging individual pigmented cells in human skin in vivo. In the CPM device, the cross-polarised detection approach is used to reduce the specular reflection from the skin surface and preferentially detect multiply-scattered light. The multiply-scattered light works as back illumination from within the tissue towards the skin surface, and superficial pigment such as intraepidermal melanin absorbs some spectral bands of the multiply-scattered light and cast coloured shadows. Since the light that interacted with the superficial pigment only needs to travel a short distance before it exits the skin surface, microscopic details of the pigment can be preserved. The CPM device uses a water-immersion objective lens with a high numerical aperture to image the microscopic details with minimal spherical aberrations and a small depth of focus. Preliminary results from a pilot study of imaging skin lesions in vivo showed that the CPM device could reveal three-dimensional distribution of pigmented cells and intracellular distribution of pigment. Co-registered CPM and reflectance confocal microscopy images showed good correspondence between dark, brown cells in CPM images and bright, melanin-containing cells in reflectance confocal microscopy images.