Micro-endoscope for in vivo widefield high spatial resolution fluorescent imaging

In this paper we report the design, testing and use of a scannerless probe specifically for minimally invasive imaging of deep tissue in vivo with an epi-fluorescence modality. The probe images a 500 μm diameter field of view through a 710 μm outer diameter probe with a maximum tissue penetration depth of 15 mm specifically configured for eGFP imaging. Example results are given from imaging the pituitary gland of rats and zebrafish hearts with lateral resolution of 2.5 μm.

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