Observation of apoptotic nuclei by a soft X-ray microscope with an intense laser-plasma soft X-ray source

Kado, Masataka; Kishimoto, Maki; Tone, Shigenobu*; Tamotsu, Satoshi*; Yasuda, Keiko*; Aoyama, Masato*; Shinohara, Kunio*

A soft X-ray microscope using a highly intense laser-plasma soft X-ray source (laser-plasma soft X-ray microscope) has an ability to observe live biological cells with a spatial resolution higher than 100 nm in a very short time period. Using the laser plasma soft X-ray microscope inner structures of various live biological cells such as cellular organelles of Leydig cells of mouse testis and structure change caused by immunological functions of immunological cells have been observed. We used the laser-plasma soft X-ray microscope to observe structural deformation of nucleus due to apoptotic process which is one of important life functions. We have found the structural deformation of nuclei from ring structure to necklace and also found important structure inside of the nuclei for the first time.