Quantum thermometer using nanodiamonds senses a 'fever' in tiny worms C. elegans

Date:
September 11, 2020
Source:
Osaka City University
Summary:
Measuring the temperature of objects at a nanometer-scale has
been a long challenge, especially in living biological samples,
because of the lack of precise and reliable nanothermometers. An
international team of researchers has realized a quantum technology
to probe temperature on a nanometer-scale, and have observed a
'fever' in tiny nematode worms under pharmacological treatment. This
strengthens the connection between quantum sensing and biology and
ushers in novel thermal imaging technologies in biomedical research.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A team from Osaka City University, in collaboration with other
international partners, has demonstrated a reliable and precise microscope-based thermometer that works in live, microscopic animals
based on quantum technology, specifically, detecting temperature-dependent properties of quantum spins in fluorescent nanodiamonds.


==========================================================================
The research is published in Science Advances.

The optical microscope is one of the most basic tools for analysis in
biology that uses visible light to allow the naked eye to see microscopic structures.

In the modern laboratory, fluorescence microscope, an enhanced version
of the optical microscope with various fluorescent biomarkers, is more frequently used. Recent advancements in such fluorescence microscopy
have allowed for live imaging of the details of a structure, and through
this, obtaining various physiological parameters in these structures,
such as pH, reactive oxygen species, and temperature.

Quantum sensing is a technology that exploits the ultimate sensitivity of fragile quantum systems to the surrounding environment. High-contrast
MRIs are examples of quantum spins in fluorescent diamonds and are
some of the most advanced quantum systems working at the forefront of real-world applications.

Applications of this technique to thermal biology were introduced seven
years ago to quantify temperatures inside cultured cells. However,
they had yet to be applied to dynamic biological systems where heat and temperature are more actively involved in biological processes.

The research team decorated the surface of the nanodiamonds with polymer structures and injected them to C. elegans nematode worms, one of the most popular model animals in biology. They needed to know the base "healthy" temperature of the worms. Once inside, the nanodiamonds moved quickly
but the team's novel quantum thermometry algorithm successfully tracked
them and steadily measured the temperature. A fever was induced within
the worms by stimulating their mitochondria with a pharmacological
treatment. The team's quantum thermometer successfully observed a
temperature increase in the worms.

"It was fascinating to see quantum technology work so well in live
animals and I never imagined the temperature of tiny worms less than
1 mm in size could deviate from the norm and develop into a fever,"
said Masazumi Fujiwara, a lecturer at the Department of Science at Osaka
City University. "Our results are an important milestone that will guide
the future direction of quantum sensing as it shows how it contributes
to biology,"

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Osaka_City_University. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Masazumi Fujiwara, Simo Sun, Alexander Dohms, Yushi Nishimura,
Ken Suto,
Yuka Takezawa, Keisuke Oshimi, Li Zhao, Nikola Sadzak, Yumi Umehara,
Yoshio Teki, Naoki Komatsu, Oliver Benson, Yutaka Shikano, and
Eriko Kage-Nakadai. Real-time nanodiamond thermometry probing
in vivo thermogenic responses. Science Advances, 2020 DOI:
10.1126/sciadv.aba9636 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200911141739.htm

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