Plasmon-enhanced colorimetric histology was recently introduced as a method for visualizing variations in the local refractive index of cells and tissues via a Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) induced colour variation. Here we investigate the combination of a Deep Eutectic Solvent (DES) and colorimetric histology as a promising alternative to conventional histological stains. This approach is used to enhance the optical contrast for ultrafine tissue sections whose thickness is below the optical diffraction limit. Traditional histological stains can have limitations, particularly when visualizing ultrafine sections, in terms of specificity and sensitivity. This research explores the potential of DESs to overcome these limitations and yield a massive enhancement of the contrast of histological specimens in the presence of planar plasmonic devices. This novel approach is used to visualize resin embedded cells cut into sections of 120 nm thickness using ultramicrotomy. The DES interaction with the plasmonically active substrates has a significant impact on the measured colorimetric signals which lays the foundation for a promising avenue in the field of histopathology with potential implications for diagnostic medicine and biomedical research.
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