Evaluation of newly synthesized potential NLO-phores for 2-photon and SHG imaging

Our contribution is focused on broadening of the spectrum of available non-linear optical (NLO)-phores (contrast agents for nonlinear optical microscopy) by design and synthesis of new organic dyes with appropriate optical properties. One of the main pre-requisites of microscopy utilizing non-linear excitation is the existence of molecules that are able to provide NLO response for the second-harmonic generation (SHG) or for the two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF). Many molecules naturally occurring in living tissue such as collagens or NAD(P)H were successfully used in this regard, but there is a natural interest in broadening of the spectrum of available NLO-phores. Gathered results confirm applicability of the newly synthesized dyes as new potential NLO-phores for confocal laser scanning microscopy with nonlinear excitation in rat aorta.