Complementing our cell biology studies, we also apply our biophotonics technology to studies of disease mechanisms and underlying biology in ex vivo tissue samples. For fluorescence based studies, we work with genetically expressed fluorescent protein-labelled samples, as with the studies of muscle fibres, and also exploit label-free signals such as autofluorescence from tissue matrix components like collagen and elastin. The latter can report on degradation of structural tissues and these signals complement information about metabolic changes that may be obtained from intracellular fluorophores such as NAD(P)H and flavoproteins.

Tissue biology studies

Imaging muscle fibres

Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy detects actomyosin states in mammalian muscle sarcomeres, D. I. García; P. Lanigan; M. Webb; J. Requejo Isidro; E. Auksorius, C. Dunsby, M. Neil, P. French; M. A. Ferenczi, Biophysical J., 93 (2007) 2091-2101

Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Reveals that the Environment of the ATP Binding Site of Myosin in Muscle Senses Force, Delisa Ibanez-Garcia, Jose Requejo-Isidro, Martin R Webb, Timothy G West, Paul French, Michael A Ferenczi, Biophys J., 99 (2010) 2163-9

Response of rigor cross-bridges to stretch detected by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy of myosin essential light chain in skeletal muscle fibers, D. S. Ushakov, V. Caorsi, D. Ibanez-Garcia, H. B. Manning, A. D. Konitsiotis, T. G. West, C. W. Dunsby, P. M. W. French and M. A. Ferenczi, J Biol Chem. 286 (2011) 842-50

Ex vivo tissue studies

Time-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging applied to biological tissue, D. S. Elson, J. Requejo-Isidro, I. Munro, F. Reavell, J. Siegel, K. Suhling, P. J. Tadrous, R. K. P. Benninger, P. M. P. Lanigan, J. McGinty, C. Talbot, B. Treanor, S. E. D. Webb, A. Sandison, A. L. Wallace, D. M. Davis, M. J. Lever, M. A. A. Neil, D. Phillips, G. W. M. Stamp, and P. M. W. French, "Time-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging applied to biological tissue," Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences 8, 795-801 (2004), Photochem. Photobiol. Sci. 3 (2004) 1-8

Detection of cartilage matrix degradation by autofluorescence lifetime, H B Manning, M B Nickdel, K Yamamoto, J L Lagarto, D J. Kelly, C B Talbot, G Kennedy, J Dudhia, MJ Lever, C. Dunsby, PMW French and Y. Itoh, Matrix Biology 32 (2013) 32–38

Two-Photon Fluorescence Microscopy of Corneal Riboflavin Absorption, D. M. Gore, A. Margineanu, P. French, D. O'Brart, C. Dunsby, and B. D. Allan, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 55(4), pp. 2476-2481, 2014, DOI: 10.1167/iovs.14-13975