Journal of biophotonicsPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-15DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202500374
Pietro Ricci, Camilla Bonaudo, Ivan Ezhov, Anam Toaha, Dorotea Nardini, Manuel Camelia, Federica Lucidi, Filippo Nozzoli, Tim Mach, Ilias Tachtsidis, Daniel Rueckert, Alessandro Della Puppa, Luca Giannoni, Francesco S Pavone
{"title":"A Label-Free Hyperspectral Imaging Device for Ex Vivo Characterization and Grading of Meningioma Tissues.","authors":"Pietro Ricci, Camilla Bonaudo, Ivan Ezhov, Anam Toaha, Dorotea Nardini, Manuel Camelia, Federica Lucidi, Filippo Nozzoli, Tim Mach, Ilias Tachtsidis, Daniel Rueckert, Alessandro Della Puppa, Luca Giannoni, Francesco S Pavone","doi":"10.1002/jbio.202500374","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbio.202500374","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Histopathology remains the gold standard for definitive tumor diagnosis after surgical resection; however, its lengthy processing time can delay critical postoperative care. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is emerging as a promising label-free technique for rapid biochemical tissue assessment. Here, we present HyperProbe1.1 (HP1.1), an HSI system designed for noninvasive analysis of fresh brain tumor biopsies. In this proof-of-concept study, we applied the HP1.1 system to freshly excised meningioma specimens-the most common primary intracranial tumors. The platform enabled rapid, label-free mapping of metabolic activity and vascular heterogeneity, while spectral unmixing further allowed the quantification of endogenous biomarkers such as cytochrome c oxidase (CCO), hemoglobin derivatives, and lipids, revealing molecular patterns consistent with histopathological tumor grading according to the 2021 WHO classification. These results highlight the feasibility of HSI for rapid biochemical tissue assessment and its potential integration into intraoperative decision-making.</p>","PeriodicalId":94068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biophotonics","volume":" ","pages":"e202500374"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12977303/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145764881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Three-Dimensional Influence of Photobiomodulation on Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Behavior.","authors":"Precious Earldom Mulaudzi, Heidi Abrahamse, Anine Crous","doi":"10.1002/jbio.202500414","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbio.202500414","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Photobiomodulation (PBM) a promising non-invasive therapeutic technique has been proposed to have regenerative ability. There is limited understanding of PBMs effectiveness in 3D cell culture systems. To evaluate the effect of PBM at 825 nm on adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) cultured in 2D and 3D spheroid models. ADSCs were exposed to PBM at fluences of 5, 10, and 15 J/cm<sup>2</sup> to assess cellular responses. Cell morphology, spheroid diameter, cell concentration, viability, proliferation, and cytotoxicity were monitored 24- and 72-h post-irradiation (hpi). In 2D cell culture, PBM at 5 J/cm<sup>2</sup> showed a significant increase in cell viability and proliferation. Cellular cytotoxicity was higher in 2D. Spheroids maintained steady size, increased viability, and proliferation peaking at 24 hpi but remaining stable over time at 10 J/cm<sup>2</sup>. 2D cell cultures show an over expression of PBM-induced effects, while spheroids provide a more physiological and balanced response profile particularly at 10 J/cm<sup>2</sup>.</p>","PeriodicalId":94068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biophotonics","volume":" ","pages":"e202500414"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12977305/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145673220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of biophotonicsPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-14DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202500555
Ana Elena Aviña, Evan Yuan-Hao Chen, Kate Ming-Yu Chuang, Che-Yi Chang, Cheng-Jen Chang, Tzu-Sen Yang
{"title":"Safe Mitochondrial Activation Through Photobiomodulation: Distinct Red and Near-Infrared Responses in Normal and Malignant Cells.","authors":"Ana Elena Aviña, Evan Yuan-Hao Chen, Kate Ming-Yu Chuang, Che-Yi Chang, Cheng-Jen Chang, Tzu-Sen Yang","doi":"10.1002/jbio.202500555","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbio.202500555","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Photobiomodulation (PBM) with red or near-infrared (NIR) light enhances mitochondrial metabolism and tissue repair, yet its safety regarding malignant cells remains under debate. This study examined wavelength- and fluence-dependent PBM effects on skeletal muscle and cancer cells. Murine myoblasts (C2C12) and human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549) were exposed to 660 nm LED or 830 nm NIR laser light at 0-20 J/cm<sup>2</sup>. Viability (CCK-8), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and ATP levels were quantified. PBM produced a biphasic response in C2C12, with maximal viability and ATP at 5 J/cm<sup>2</sup> under NIR and moderate ROS elevation. Conversely, A549 showed stable or slightly reduced viability despite increased ROS, suggesting a distinct redox sensitivity. Both wavelengths enhanced mitochondrial activity in muscle cells while avoiding overstimulation in carcinoma cells. These wavelength- and cell type-specific effects indicate the bioenergetic safety of PBM and its potential for muscle regeneration research.</p>","PeriodicalId":94068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biophotonics","volume":" ","pages":"e202500555"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145759114","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhanhua Tao, Xiaochun Wang, Huanjun Chen, Cuimei Li, Guiwen Wang
{"title":"Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on the Individual Spores of Two Biological Insecticides as Revealed by Single-Spore Optical Analysis.","authors":"Zhanhua Tao, Xiaochun Wang, Huanjun Chen, Cuimei Li, Guiwen Wang","doi":"10.1002/jbio.70213","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbio.70213","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although the germicidal effects of UV radiation are well documented, its impact on the germination behavior of individual spores remains poorly understood. This study employed single-spore optical analysis to investigate how UV exposure affects Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and Lysinibacillus sphaericus (Ls) spores and their germination. Following 2-10 min of UV treatment, spore viability declined to 76%-16% for Bt and 74%-3.3% for Ls. Increased exposure was associated with reduced CaDPA content, decreased intensity at 1280 cm<sup>-1</sup>, and increased band ratios (1243/1257 cm<sup>-1</sup> and 1662/1650 cm<sup>-1</sup>), indicating structural alterations in amide III and I regions of proteins due to radiation. UV exposure delayed germination responses to both nutrient and non-nutrient germinants, as evidenced by prolonged lag times, extended CaDPA release, and slower cortex lysis. Furthermore, germination heterogeneity increased among individual spores. Collectively, these findings suggest UV radiation likely impairs germination-related proteins, leading to delayed and desynchronized spore germination.</p>","PeriodicalId":94068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biophotonics","volume":" ","pages":"e70213"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145822561","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of biophotonicsPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202500453
Hailey Kim, Bo Ning, Richard J Cha, Kwan Mo Yang
{"title":"Predicting Bowel Viability With Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging: A Quantitative Assessment and Survival Study in Rats.","authors":"Hailey Kim, Bo Ning, Richard J Cha, Kwan Mo Yang","doi":"10.1002/jbio.202500453","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbio.202500453","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Accurate intraoperative determination of bowel viability remains unresolved, as current assessments are subjective and dye-based methods cannot capture reperfusion dynamics. Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) offers a dye-free, real-time, and repeatable approach for quantifying tissue perfusion. We conducted a two-phase rat study to establish a quantitative threshold and validate its predictive value for ischemic recovery. In Phase 1 (n = 6), ischemia (30-180 min) was induced, and LSCI ratios at 60 min after reperfusion were analyzed. A ratio ≥ 0.8 defined viability, whereas < 0.5 indicated irreversible damage. In Phase 2 (n = 4), this threshold was prospectively tested in a survival model. Segments subjected to ≤ 90 min ischemia recovered, the 120-min case showed delayed but complete recovery, while 150 min led to necrosis. This is the first experimental demonstration that LSCI can predict bowel recovery after reperfusion, providing a novel, objective framework for intraoperative viability assessment.</p>","PeriodicalId":94068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biophotonics","volume":" ","pages":"e202500453"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145822509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Deep Learning on Hyperspectral Pathology for Recurrence Prediction in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.","authors":"Xulei Wang, Wenshi Tian, Yihan Zhao, Yihui He, Zhengyang Zhang, Xiaobo Shao, Yunchao Wang, Jianning Wang","doi":"10.1002/jbio.202500546","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbio.202500546","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common aggressive renal cancer subtype, shows marked heterogeneity that hinders recurrence prediction.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate hyperspectral pathology imaging (HSI) with deep learning for individualized recurrence risk prediction in ccRCC.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Slides from 48 patients with ccRCC were imaged using a 400-1000 nm hyperspectral microscope. Spectral data were preprocessed, and a dual-branch network (HSI-FusionNet) extracted spatial and spectral features via 2D and 1D convolution, followed by gated fusion and multiple instance learning (MIL) for patient-level prediction.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>HSI-FusionNet achieved strong test performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.912; sensitivity = 0.881; specificity = 0.846), outperforming ResNet-50, 1D-Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and a 1D-Transformer. Recurrence-related spectral bands (530-580 and 830-900 nm) reflected hemoglobin and lipid-collagen differences.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>HSI with deep learning accurately identifies recurrent ccRCC and reveals molecular-metabolic signatures, supporting precision postoperative risk stratification.</p>","PeriodicalId":94068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biophotonics","volume":" ","pages":"e202500546"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145759148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Micrometer-Scale Biomechanical Characterization of Oral Mucosa Using Spatial Phase-Gradient Tracking Optical Coherence Elastography.","authors":"Sweta Satpathy, Arpita Rai, Priya Shree, Raju Poddar","doi":"10.1002/jbio.70255","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbio.70255","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We present a custom-built, high-speed optical coherence elastography (OCE) system for non-invasive, quantitative assessment of oral tissue biomechanics. The system integrates low-frequency (10 Hz) air-driven elastic wave excitation with phase-resolved optical coherence tomography (OCT) for micrometer-scale elasticity mapping. A pilot study on human buccal mucosa (four healthy, four cancerous, one leukoplakia) revealed distinct biomechanical contrasts. Healthy tissues exhibited regular elastic wave propagation (≈2.5 μm displacement; 2.72 ± 0.27 Pa modulus), while cancerous samples showed restricted displacement (≈1 μm; 9.51 ± 0.95 Pa), indicating increased stiffness. The elastograms also visualized keratin layer thickening, rete peg elongation, and mild inflammatory infiltration. The leukoplakia specimen demonstrated intermediate stiffness (5.47 ± 0.55 Pa), suggestive of early biomechanical alteration. The integration of air-pressure excitation with phase-resolved OCT enables a non-contact, repeatable, and sensitive elastographic method capable of detecting subtle mechanical changes, highlighting the system's potential for early oral cancer diagnosis and soft tissue biomechanical characterization.</p>","PeriodicalId":94068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biophotonics","volume":"19 3","pages":"e70255"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147517957","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Salile Khandani, Yryx Y Luna Palacios, Hannah Savage, Luis Chavez, Eric O Potma
{"title":"Selective Visualization of Type II Collagen Using Sum-Frequency Generation (SFG).","authors":"Salile Khandani, Yryx Y Luna Palacios, Hannah Savage, Luis Chavez, Eric O Potma","doi":"10.1002/jbio.70258","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbio.70258","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Collagen Types I and II share highly conserved triple-helical backbones and similar CH stretch vibrational spectra, which limits the ability of conventional spectroscopic or second-harmonic generation methods to unambiguously distinguish between them in native and engineered matrices. By combining polarization-resolved sum-frequency generation (SFG) measurements with tensor-based simulations of the CH stretch response, this work identifies collagen's asymmetric <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi>CH</mi> <mn>2</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$$ {mathrm{CH}}_2 $$</annotation></semantics> </math> mode measured via the XXY tensor element at <math> <semantics><mrow><mn>2860</mn> <mspace></mspace> <msup><mi>cm</mi> <mrow><mo>-</mo> <mn>1</mn></mrow> </msup> </mrow> <annotation>$$ 2860 {mathrm{cm}}^{-1} $$</annotation></semantics> </math> as a robust optical marker that exhibits distinct spatial symmetries for collagen Type I and Type II. In rat auricular cartilage, analysis of the polarization-resolved SFG signatures combined with vertex component analysis reveals pocket-like domains of differently oriented collagen Type II fibrils rather than a uniformly aligned network. These findings establish polarization-resolved SFG microscopy as a structurally specific tool for mapping collagen Type II architecture and label-free discrimination of collagen Types I and II.</p>","PeriodicalId":94068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biophotonics","volume":"19 3","pages":"e70258"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13012808/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147517869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of biophotonicsPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-14DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202500474
I A Shikunova, V N Kurlov, D O Stryukov, S L Shikunov, I N Dolganova
{"title":"Miniature Sapphire Tip With a Reflecting Part for Ring Illumination of Tissues.","authors":"I A Shikunova, V N Kurlov, D O Stryukov, S L Shikunov, I N Dolganova","doi":"10.1002/jbio.202500474","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbio.202500474","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Laser treatment of natural canals is typical for phlebology, gynecology and urology. This method has several problems, including the choice of light dosimetry and instrumentation. It is important to provide a reliable and uniform energy distribution on the canal walls. Aimed at this, a sapphire tip is proposed in this work. Manufactured by the crystal growth technique, this tip has miniature dimensions and an axial cavity, which serves as a reflecting element. It can be combined with standard optical fibers providing contact coagulation. In this work, the performance of this instrument was studied numerically and experimentally, using ex vivo liver samples. The results reveal an ability of the tip to form local coagulation without a sharp increase in temperature on the instrument surface. Thus, the sapphire tip demonstrates significant prospects for interstitial laser treatment, combining simple design, high reliability, reproducibility of the light distribution, and a smoothed thermal profile.</p>","PeriodicalId":94068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biophotonics","volume":" ","pages":"e202500474"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145759102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Journal of biophotonicsPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2025-12-14DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202500418
V Andreev, M Yakovleva, A Kostyukov, V Sokolova, V Shcheslavskiy, G Goltsman, T Feldman, V Kuzmin, M Ostrovsky, Pavel Morozov
{"title":"Interrogation of Retinal Lipofuscin by Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy.","authors":"V Andreev, M Yakovleva, A Kostyukov, V Sokolova, V Shcheslavskiy, G Goltsman, T Feldman, V Kuzmin, M Ostrovsky, Pavel Morozov","doi":"10.1002/jbio.202500418","DOIUrl":"10.1002/jbio.202500418","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Age-related macular degeneration is a disease that affects the middle part of the vision and involves pathological alterations in the retinal pigment epithelium. Accurate and timely evaluation of the retinal pigment epithelium is a cornerstone of effective treatment planning. In this study, we present the development of a preclinical method for early diagnostics of age-related macular degeneration using time and spectral characteristics of fluorescence of lipofuscin granules from the retinal pigment epithelium. Using the unique system based on a superconducting single-photon detector and time-correlated single-photon counting electronics integrated in the confocal laser scanning microscope we determined the parameters of fluorescence (distribution long and short fluorescence lifetime components and their contribution to the total fluorescence signal as well as fluorescence spectral shift) that have a diagnostic value for differentiation of the normal and pathological states in the degenerative diseases of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium.</p>","PeriodicalId":94068,"journal":{"name":"Journal of biophotonics","volume":" ","pages":"e202500418"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145759085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}