Modulation of Optical Anisotropy in Soft Tissue Biomaterials Using Optical Clearing Agents: Implications for Structural Characterization and Biomedical Applications

This study systematically investigates the modulation of optical properties in anisotropic chicken skin tissue using five optical clearing agents (OCAs): Sorbitol, Glycerol, Iohexol, Sucrose, and Glucose. Quantifying such changes is essential for the design of biomaterials and the optimization of tissue-implant interfaces where laser propagation is critical. Utilizing goniometry and transmission spectroscopy over a 60-minute period, our results consistently demonstrated that tissue optical clearing induced a significant increase in the scattering anisotropy factor (g), shifting from a baseline of g = 0.78−0.80 to post-clearing values reaching g = 0.96. This enhancement in forward scattering, accompanied by a concurrent decrease in the attenuation coefficient (µt), serves as a critical performance metric for improving the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) in implanted optical sensors and ensuring efficient laser light delivery in photo-active scaffolds. Among the agents, Sorbitol exhibited the highest optical clearing efficacy, while simple sugars showed less pronounced effects. These findings provide a robust foundation for selecting optimal chemical agents to enhance laser light penetration depth for future embedded optical biosensors, directly benefiting the development of advanced biomaterials, and high-resolution imaging modalities such as Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT).