Three-Dimensional Acoustic Impedance Imaging for Cultured Biological Cells

Acoustic microscope is a powerful tool for observation of biological matters. Non-invasive in-situ observation can be performed without any staining process. Unlike optical microscopy of which contrast is based on optical refractive index, the acoustic microscopy is contrasted by such as sound speed and acoustic impedance, which can be correlated to elasticity. We have proposed the acoustic microscope that can acquire three-dimensional acoustic impedance profile, and applied to cell-size observation. The presentation will deal with its hardware and signal processing, as well as the observation result of a cultured glial cell.