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Published on: June 7, 2019
Biosafety Level 3 setup for multiphoton microscopy in vivo
D Barlerin1, G Bessière1, J Domingues2,3
1EuroBioconcept SAS, 94380, Bonneuil sur Marne, France.
Abstract:
Multiphoton microscopy has revealed important insights into cellular behavior in vivo. However, its application in infectious settings often encounters technical, safety and regulatory limitations that prevent its wider use with highly virulent human pathogens. Herein, we present a method that renders multiphoton microscopy in vivo compatible with biosafety level 3 regulations and present an example of its application and potential to visualize a Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection of the mouse lung.
Insights
Multiphoton microscopy can now be used safely in biosafety level 3 settings. This advance allows in vivo imaging of dangerous pathogens like Mycobacterium tuberculosis in mouse lungs.
Area of Science:
- Microscopy and Imaging Technologies
- Infectious Disease Research
- Pathogen Biology
Background:
- Multiphoton microscopy offers valuable in vivo cellular insights.
- Virulent pathogens and biosafety level 3 (BSL3) environments pose significant limitations.
- Existing methods restrict advanced imaging in high-containment infectious studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method adapting multiphoton microscopy for BSL3 environments.
- To demonstrate the feasibility of in vivo imaging within BSL3 regulations.
- To visualize Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection dynamics in a mouse lung model.
Main Methods:
- Adaptation of multiphoton microscopy for BSL3 containment.
- In vivo imaging protocols for infectious disease models.
- Application to Mycobacterium tuberculosis lung infection in mice.
Main Results:
- Successful implementation of multiphoton microscopy within BSL3.
- Demonstration of in vivo visualization of M. tuberculosis infection.
- Acquisition of cellular-level data on host-pathogen interactions.
Conclusions:
- The developed method enables safe, advanced in vivo imaging in BSL3.
- This technique expands research capabilities for highly virulent pathogens.
- Visualizing M. tuberculosis infection in the lung offers new research avenues.

