This article dives into a breakthrough imaging platform that lets scientists do volumetric, three-dimensional quantum sensing inside living cells—all thanks to fluorescent nanodiamonds. By grabbing eight depth planes at once across a 5 µm axial span and a 50 × 50 µm field of view, researchers get to map nanoscale magnetic fields in real time, skipping that slow, clunky mechanical z-scanning. That’s a leap for studying cellular processes with quantum-scale precision.
Overview of the platform’s capabilities
The multi-plane wide-field microscope uses a beam-splitting prism alongside high-sensitivity detection, so it can create depth-resolved images at the same time. This setup keeps temporal resolution intact and still delivers volumetric information. That combo is especially useful for watching dynamic stuff unfold inside intact cells.
Technical feat: simultaneous eight-plane imaging
Eight focal planes get imaged in parallel, spanning an axial range of about 5 µm with a lateral field of view of 50 × 50 µm. No more waiting for mechanical z-scanning—real-time, three-dimensional data is right there. The system splits emitted fluorescence into depth-resolved channels using a beam-splitting prism, so a single exposure gives you a volumetric snapshot of the intracellular environment.
Key technical specs? There’s stable excitation from a Coherent Verdi G5 laser, plus a high-NA Olympus LUCPLFLN40X objective. Those are set up to maximize photon collection from nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers inside fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs). NV centers act as nanoscale quantum sensors, detecting local magnetic, thermal, or strain variations in the cytoplasm.
Quantum sensing and localization accuracy
A Fourier-transform–based localization algorithm picks up phase shifts in the fluorescence signal and pulls out highly precise spatial coordinates. The localization precision clocks in at about ~9 nm laterally and ~12 nm axially. That means nanoscale mapping of physical properties inside living cells is now possible.
Validation studies put the platform to the test in mouse cardiomyocytes. Researchers tracked individual intracellular FNDs in three-dimensional space and ran ODMR measurements to map local magnetic fields. This ties precise spatial positioning directly to quantum sensing outputs, showing how magnetic fields shift inside the cytoplasm under real physiological conditions.
Biological insights and implications
Fluorescent nanodiamonds deliver exceptional photostability and biocompatibility, so you can do long-term intracellular investigations. No more worrying about photobleaching like with regular organic dyes. Pair that stability with real-time volumetric sensing, and suddenly, researchers can watch nanoscale magnetic variations—or even thermal and mechanical changes—inside living cells with barely any disturbance.
The integrated approach brings together high-speed, wide-field imaging and nanoscale quantum measurements. That opens up new ways to look at cellular processes in fields like neuroscience, immunology, and cellular biomechanics. For instance, mapping magnetic fields inside cardiomyocytes might help us understand how force-generation and signaling pathways interact with local magnetic environments. Or maybe even reveal something we haven’t thought of yet.
Advantages, applications, and future directions
- Rapid volumetric sensing skips mechanical z-scanning, so researchers can speed up intracellular studies.
- Volumetric quantum sensing lets you measure position and field at the nanoscale, all at once.
- Photostability and biocompatibility of FNDs make long-term experiments possible with little disruption.
- People are already using these tools in neuroscience, immunology, and cellular biomechanics. There’s even talk about clinical applications down the line.
Honestly, the future looks pretty interesting here. Folks in the field expect bigger imaging volumes, faster data, and smarter tools—think adaptive optics and machine-learning processing working together.
If these improvements pan out, volumetric quantum sensing might just become a standard approach in both basic biology and clinical research. Imagine what we could learn about how magnetic, thermal, and mechanical cues drive cellular behavior in health and disease. Feels like we’re only scratching the surface.
Here is the source article for this story: 3D Tracking and Optical Magnetic Resonance of Fluorescent Nanodiamonds Inside Cells Using a Multi-Plane Microscope