Real-time imaging after cerebral ischemia: model systems for visualization of inflammation and neuronal repair

Brain response to ischemic injury is characterized by initiation of a complex pathophysiological cascade comprising the events that may evolve over hours or several days and weeks after initial attack. At present, spatial and temporal dynamics of these events is not completely understood. To enable better understanding of the brain response to ischemic injury we developed and validated several novel transgenic mouse models of bioluminescence and fluorescence, allowing the noninvasive and time-lapse imaging of neuroinflammation, neuronal damage/stress and repair. These mice represent a powerful analytical tool for understanding in vivo pathology as well as the evaluating pharmacokinetics and longitudinal responses to drug therapies. Here, we describe the basic procedures of generating biophotonic mouse models for live imaging of microglial activation and neuronal stress and recovery, followed by a detailed description of in vivo bioluminescence imaging protocols used after experimental stroke.