Label-free mitochondria segmentation for morphological and functional study of mitochondria (Conference Presentation)

Mitochondrial dynamics are crucial for metabolic homeostasis, quality control, and apoptosis regulation. Disruptions in these dynamics can cause neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Fluorescence microscopy enables real-time observation of mitochondrial events but faces challenges in simultaneously capturing dynamics and metabolism due to photobleaching, chemical toxicity, and limited temporal resolution. Nonlinear optical (NLO) imagingmicroscopy, generating signals without dyes, has been demonstrated to allow label-free monitoring of key metabolic coenzymes and lipid accumulation within mitochondria. This project aims to develophas developed a novel multiplexed NLO imaging platform integrated with computational modeling to simultaneously capture both morphological and metabolic changes in mitochondria. The integration of NLO microscopy and computational modeling is anticipated to reveal new correlations between mitochondrial dynamics and cellular metabolism, potentially uncovering unknown disease mechanisms related to mitochondrial dysfunction.