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Fluorescence-mediated Tomography for the Detection and Quantification of Macrophage-related Murine Intestinal Inflammation
Published on: December 15, 2017
Imaging inflammation in mouse colon using a rapid stage-scanning confocal fluorescence microscope
Meagan A Saldua1, Cory A Olsovsky, Evelyn S Callaway
1Texas A&M University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 3120 TAMU, College Station, Texas, 77843-3120, USA.
Journal of Biomedical Optics
|February 23, 2012
Summary
This study introduces a rapid confocal microscope for fast, high-resolution imaging of entire mouse colons, aiding pre-clinical research. It reveals distinct structural changes in colon crypts during chronic bowel inflammation.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Optical Microscopy
- Pre-clinical Research
Background:
- Histology requires extensive tissue processing, limiting speed in pre-clinical studies.
- Confocal microscopy offers high resolution but often has limited field of view.
- Efficient imaging of large tissue areas is crucial for evaluating disease pathology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and demonstrate a rapid, large-area confocal fluorescence microscope for whole mouse colon imaging.
- To assess the utility of this system for visualizing cellular and tissue architecture in pre-clinical models.
- To compare the microscopic features of normal and inflamed colon tissue.
Main Methods:
- A novel beam and stage-scanning confocal fluorescence microscope was utilized.
- High-speed scanning (8,333 lines/sec beam, 7 mm/sec stage) enabled rapid image acquisition.
- Z-projection of image stacks provided high-resolution surface imaging of non-flat specimens.
Main Results:
- A 1 × 60 mm(2) field of view of the entire mouse colon was acquired in 10 seconds.
- Normal colon crypts showed uniform size, shape, and distribution in confocal images.
- Confocal imaging of chronic bowel inflammation revealed heterogeneous tissue structure and severe crypt distortion.
Conclusions:
- The rapid confocal microscope enables fast, high-resolution, large-area tissue imaging with reduced processing.
- This technique effectively visualizes structural differences between normal and inflamed colon tissues.
- The system holds significant potential for advancing pre-clinical evaluation of gastrointestinal diseases.
