[In vivo imaging of osteoblasts.]

Osteoblasts are bone-forming cells which produce bone matrix proteins and control calcium and mineral deposition. It is still unknown how osteoblasts work through the processes actually, because most of bone researches use static images of sections. Recently developed intravital imaging system with multiphoton microscopy can enable dynamic observation of living individual cells without making sections. This technique has so high-resolution in the Z direction that it is particularly useful for observation of deep tissues like bones. Here we introduce our data about osteoblast live cell imaging in vivo and in vitro including intravital imaging and summarize the latest reports about it.