Nanometer-Precision Tracking of Adipocyte Dynamics via Single Lipid Droplet Whispering-Gallery Optical Resonances.

ABSTRACT: Biophotonics─and more recently, biointegrated photonics─offer transformative tools for probing cellular processes with unprecedented precision. Among these, whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) resonators (optical microcavities formed in spherical structures) have emerged as powerful biosensors and intracellular barcodes. Lipid droplets (LDs), with their high refractive index and intrinsic spherical geometry, are ideal candidates for supporting intracellular lasing. Although lasing in LDs has been previously demonstrated, it has not yet been harnessed to study live-cell biology. Here, we report the first use of WGM resonances in LDs of live primary adipocytes, employing a continuous-wave (CW) laser at powers below the biological damage threshold. By measuring these resonances, we achieved nanomet

SUBMITTER: Podlipec R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12836352 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature