Watching Embryonic Development in a New Light: Viscoelastic Imaging of Zebrafish Embryos

Abstract

Biomechanics is a rapidly advancing field. Fundamental understanding of developing biological organisms on the microscopic level is one of the perspective directions of biomechanics research. Emerging technologies based on Raman and Brillouin spectroscopies are used to investigate the elastic and chemical properties of developing Zebrafish. Brillouin and Raman spectra were collected and analyzed from different parts of developing embryos, and this information was used to acquire two-dimensional images of live embryos at different stages of development. Since alternations in local chemical and viscoelastic properties can lead to potential diseases, this research in the future could be expanded to provide a better understanding of brain and heart development in order to prevent serious diseases.