Dendritic spines serve as preferential sites of excitatory synaptic connections and are
pleomorphic. To address the structure–function relationship of the dendritic spines, we used two-…

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is essential for neuronal survival and differentiation
during development and for synaptic function and plasticity in the mature brain. BDNF-…

Insulin secretion from intact mouse pancreatic islets was investigated with two-photon excitation
imaging. Insulin granule exocytosis occurred mainly toward the interstitial space, away …

To decipher dynamic brain information processing, current genetically encoded calcium
indicators (GECIs) are limited in single action potential (AP) detection speed, combinatorial …

Elucidation of neural circuit functions requires visualization of the fine structure of neurons
in the inner regions of thick brain specimens. However, the tissue penetration depth of laser …

Recent advances in functional imaging of human brain activity in stroke patients, eg, functional
magnetic resonance imaging, have revealed that cortical hemisphere contralateral to the …

We report a pH-insensitive and photostable ultramarine fluorescent protein, Sirius, with an
emission peak at 424 nm, the shortest emission wavelength among fluorescent proteins …

Here we report exocytosis of zymogen granules, as examined by multiphoton excitation
imaging in intact pancreatic acini. Cholecystokinin induces Ca 2+ oscillations that trigger …

In vivo two-photon microscopy has revealed vital information on neural activity for brain
function, even in light of its limitation in imaging events at depths greater than several hundred …

We demonstrate that the lateral resolution of confocal laser scanning microscopy is dramatically
improved by a higher-order radially polarized (HRP) beam with six concentric rings. This …