Label-free structural characterizations of pinus pollen grains using optical diffraction tomography

Abstract

We present a label-free structural characterization of individual pollen grains from trees of genus Pinus using quantitative phase imaging. 3-D refractive index distribution in single pollen grain was measured using optical diffraction tomography. The 3-D structure of pollen grains was addressed without chemical treatment of the sample. Scattering of each pollen grain from actively controlled incident wave was measured to be reconstructed into a 3-D refractive index tomogram. Structures of Pinus pollen grains were evaluated with quantitative features obtained from the refractive index tomograms.