Multimodal chemical imaging for tracking subcellular metabolic dynamics

Understanding metabolite dynamics in living systems is crucial for biomedical research. Fluorescence-based imaging has contributed tremendously to revealing mechanisms of organelle trafficking and interactions, however, not all biomolecules or organelles are labeled efficiently simultaneously without substantial perturbation from the labeling molecules. Vibrational spectroscopic imaging techniques are increasingly recognized as unique tools for investigating biomolecules in their natural microenvironment. Here, we developed a fluorescence-guided multimodal imaging approach to study organelle distribution and compositional changes in single cells. These advancements enable quantitative mapping of chemical dynamics, providing insights into subcellular biomolecule dynamics and mechanisms regulating cell physiology.