Quasi-noise-free dynamic imaging of cellular processes with polychromatic digital holographic microscopy

Polychromatic Digital Holographic Microscopy (P-DHM) improves cellular imaging by reducing coherent noise issues found in DHM. Utilizing multi-wavelength illumination and a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, P-DHM generates high-resolution optical path difference images. Recent advancements include automated time-lapse acquisition and reconstruction, accelerating the process and enabling the observation of dynamic cellular behaviors like lamellipodia and filopodia in astrocyte cultures. Further improvements introduced an electronic-based approach for video-rate imaging, facilitating the visualization and velocity measurement of axonal transport in neuron connections. These innovations pave the way for detailed studies of complex cellular processes, such as neurite growth and dendritic spine motility, in cultured human cells from neuropsychiatric disorder patients.