Imaging technology of three dimensional distribution for sugar chain on single living cell-membrane

We study on the imaging technology of three-dimensional distribution for sugar chain on single living cell-membrane. This technology can observe the entire cell surface. To observe the cell surface, the local area image of cell-membrane is taken by TIRF (total internal reflection fluorescence) microscopy. And by scanning the whole cell surface area, we can obtain the image of the entire cell membrane. These observed local area images can be converted into an entire surface image by the pattern matching processing. For this scanning technology, we propose the proximal two beam optical tweezers to rotate the single floating cell. This proximal two beam optical tweezers can rotate the floating single cell in the nutrient medium by light pressure. Two beams illuminate the single cell at proximal two points from below and above. The cell is trapped at the center of these two focal points. At the same time, light pressures that are generated at two focal points are made to act as rotational torque. Conventionally TIRF microscope is well known as the observation technology for the cell-membrane using the evanescent light as the exciting light. We can observe the local area images of the fluorescently labeled sugar chain that binds the glycoprotein. Using the proposed optical system, we can obtain the fluorescent distribution images on the cell-membrane.