Ex vivo multiscale quantitation of skin biomechanics in wild-type and genetically-modified mice using multiphoton microscopy

International audienceSoft connective tissues such as skin, tendon or cornea are made of about 90% of extracellular matrix proteins, fibrillar collagens being the major components. Decreased or aberrant collagen synthesis generally results in defective tissue mechanical properties as the classic form of Elhers-Danlos syndrome (cEDS). This connective tissue disorder is caused by mutations in collagen V genes and is mainly characterized by skin hyperextensibility. To investigate the relationship between the microstructure of normal and diseased skins and their macroscopic mechanical properties, we imaged and quantified the microstructure of dermis of ex vivo murine skin biopsies during uniaxial mechanical assay using multiphoton microscopy. We used two genetically-modified mouse lines for collagen V: a mouse model for cEDS harboring a Col5a2 deletion (a.k.a. pN allele) and the transgenic K14-COL5A1 mice which overexpress the human COL5A1 gene in skin. We showed that in normal skin, the collagen fibers continuously align with stretch, generating the observed increase in mechanical stress. Moreover, dermis from both transgenic lines exhibited altered collagen reorganization upon traction, which could be linked to microstructural modifications. These findings show that our multiscale approach provides new crucial information on the biomechanics of dermis that can be extended to all collagen-rich soft tissues

Etude de la réorganisation macroscopique de la peau de souris lors d'une sollicitation bi-axiale

La peau est composée en majorité de collagène et présente une microstructure très hiérarchisée qui influe sur son comportement mécanique aux différentes échelles. Pour caractériser l'influence de la microstructure sur les propriétés mécaniques, un test de traction bi-axiale couplé à une mesure macroscopique (corrélation d'images numériques) et microscopique (génération de second harmonique) a été développé . A terme, ce travail permettra de corréler les propriétés macroscopiques à la microstructures. Cette étude présente les résultats de la mesure effectuée par corrélation d'images

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Development of a compact and flexible multiphoton endomicroscope for in vivo high-resolution imaging of label-free biological tissues

La microscopie multiphotonique est un outil essentiel d’investigation en biologie cellulaire et tissulaire. Son extension à l’endoscopie est l’objet d’intenses efforts de recherche pour des applications en neurosciences (imagerie cérébrale du petit animal) ou en clinique (diagnostic précoce, aide à la biopsie). Ce manuscrit porte sur le développement d’un endomicroscope multiphotonique présentant des performances inédites. Ce dispositif est alimenté par un oscillateur titane-saphir standard. Vient ensuite un module de pré-compensation des distorsions linéaires et non linéaires se produisant dans la fibre endoscopique. Ce module permet d’obtenir des impulsions compressées de 39 fs à la sortie d’une fibre microstructurée air-silice innovante à double gaine de 5 mètres de long qui est optimisée pour l’excitation multiphotonique (cœur central de 3,4 µm à maintien de polarisation) et la collection du signal produit par les cibles biologiques. A l’extrémité de la fibre, on trouve une sonde endoscopique, de 2,2 mm de diamètre pour 37 mm de long, composée d’un micro-scanner à fibre optique et d’un micro-objectif achromatique de distance de travail supérieure à 400 µm. La résolution spatiale de l’appareil vaut 0,83 µm et l’acquisition se fait en simultané sur deux canaux spectraux à 8 images/s. L’appareil a permis l’enregistrement d’images in vivo sans marquage des tubules et de la capsule rénale, respectivement par fluorescence à deux photons des flavines et par génération de second harmonique du collagène, avec 30 mW sur les tissus et jusqu’à 300 µm sous la surface de l’organe.Multiphoton microscopy is an essential investigative tool in cell and tissue biology. Its extension to endoscopy is the subject of intensive research for applications in neuroscience (brain imaging of small animals) or clinical (early diagnosis, help for biopsy). This manuscript focuses on the development of an endomicroscope with multiphoton unprecedented performance. This device is powered by a standard titanium-sapphire oscillator. Then comes a pre-compensation module of linear and nonlinear distortions occurring in the endoscopic fiber. This module provides compressed pulses of 39 fs at the direct output of 5 meters long innovative double-clad air-silica microstructured fiber which is optimized for multiphoton excitation (polarization maintaining central core of 3.4 µm) and the collection of the signal produced by biological targets. At the end of the fiber, there is an endoscopic probe, 2.2 mm in diameter and 37 mm long, composed of a micro fiber scanning system and an achromatic micro-objective with a working distance greater than 400 µm. The spatial resolution of the device is 0.83 µm and the acquisition is done simultaneously on two spectral channels at 8 frames/s. The device has recorded in vivo images without label of the tubules and the renal capsule, respectively by two-photon excitation fluorescence of flavins and second harmonic generation of collagen, with 30 mW on the tissues and 300 µm below the surface of the organ

Développement d'un endomicroscope multiphotonique compact et flexible pour l'imagerie in vivo haute résolution de tissus biologiques non marqués

Multiphoton microscopy is an essential investigative tool in cell and tissue biology. Its extension to endoscopy is the subject of intensive research for applications in neuroscience (brain imaging of small animals) or clinical (early diagnosis, help for biopsy). This manuscript focuses on the development of an endomicroscope with multiphoton unprecedented performance. This device is powered by a standard titanium-sapphire oscillator. Then comes a pre-compensation module of linear and nonlinear distortions occurring in the endoscopic fiber. This module provides compressed pulses of 39 fs at the direct output of 5 meters long innovative double-clad air-silica microstructured fiber which is optimized for multiphoton excitation (polarization maintaining central core of 3.4 µm) and the collection of the signal produced by biological targets. At the end of the fiber, there is an endoscopic probe, 2.2 mm in diameter and 37 mm long, composed of a micro fiber scanning system and an achromatic micro-objective with a working distance greater than 400 µm. The spatial resolution of the device is 0.83 µm and the acquisition is done simultaneously on two spectral channels at 8 frames/s. The device has recorded in vivo images without label of the tubules and the renal capsule, respectively by two-photon excitation fluorescence of flavins and second harmonic generation of collagen, with 30 mW on the tissues and 300 µm below the surface of the organ.La microscopie multiphotonique est un outil essentiel d’investigation en biologie cellulaire et tissulaire. Son extension à l’endoscopie est l’objet d’intenses efforts de recherche pour des applications en neurosciences (imagerie cérébrale du petit animal) ou en clinique (diagnostic précoce, aide à la biopsie). Ce manuscrit porte sur le développement d’un endomicroscope multiphotonique présentant des performances inédites. Ce dispositif est alimenté par un oscillateur titane-saphir standard. Vient ensuite un module de pré-compensation des distorsions linéaires et non linéaires se produisant dans la fibre endoscopique. Ce module permet d’obtenir des impulsions compressées de 39 fs à la sortie d’une fibre microstructurée air-silice innovante à double gaine de 5 mètres de long qui est optimisée pour l’excitation multiphotonique (cœur central de 3,4 µm à maintien de polarisation) et la collection du signal produit par les cibles biologiques. A l’extrémité de la fibre, on trouve une sonde endoscopique, de 2,2 mm de diamètre pour 37 mm de long, composée d’un micro-scanner à fibre optique et d’un micro-objectif achromatique de distance de travail supérieure à 400 µm. La résolution spatiale de l’appareil vaut 0,83 µm et l’acquisition se fait en simultané sur deux canaux spectraux à 8 images/s. L’appareil a permis l’enregistrement d’images in vivo sans marquage des tubules et de la capsule rénale, respectivement par fluorescence à deux photons des flavines et par génération de second harmonique du collagène, avec 30 mW sur les tissus et jusqu’à 300 µm sous la surface de l’organe

Imagerie non linéaire par fibre optique

National audienc

Sub-30-fs pulse compression and pulse shaping at the output of a 2-m-long optical fiber in the near-infrared range

International audienceWe experimentally demonstrate fiber delivery of sub-30-fs pulses in the near-infrared range achieving 1.6 nJ at the output of a 2-m-long standard single-mode fiber, starting with 150 fs pulse duration at laser output and with a standard system. It results from the compensation of linear and nonlinear effects by a grism-based stretcher giving a pulse compression factor of 5, representing the best temporal, energetic, and tunable performance. We compare these results with the fiber delivery of nanojoule pulses changing the fiber for a 2-m-long large mode area one, giving similar results, but with a longer pulse duration. Then, we experimentally demonstrate the adaptation of the fibered setup to shape the spectrum in amplitude and phase at the fiber output with a shaping module placed before the fiber