Multimodal imaging links molecular identity with nanoscale-resolved 3D cell morphology in opossum cortical cultures

Pyoung (postnatal day 3–6) Monodelphis domestica cortical cultures show more neurite growth into lesion sites and more immature SOX2 cells than Pold (postnatal day 16–18).

• Why it matters: Regenerative capacity in the mammalian CNS declines soon after birth, but how this shift maps onto nanoscale cell morphology and organization remains unclear.
• What they did: Cortical cultures from early versus older opossum pups were profiled with fluorescent markers for neurons, glia, and immature/progenitor cells, then imaged with label-free scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) for 3D nanoscale structure.
• The result: Across marker-defined populations, molecular changes tracked corresponding morphological differences, including more stable soma size in Pold, glia-dominated lesion responses, and SICM-observed bridges and aligned neurite outgrowth.

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