In Vivo Imaging of Single Mammalian Cells in Development and Disease

Live imaging has transformed biomedical sciences by enabling visualization and analysis of dynamic cellular processes as they occur in their native contexts. Here, we review key recent efforts applying in vivo optical imaging with single-cell resolution to mammalian systems ranging from embryos to adult tissues and organs. We highlight insights into active processes regulating cell fate and morphogenesis during embryonic development, how neuronal circuitry and non-neuronal cell types contribute to neurological functions, and how novel imaging-based approaches enable the dissection of neurological disorders and cancer with high spatio-temporal resolution. The convergence of technical advancements in accessing, visualizing, and manipulating individual cells provides an unprecedented lens to probe mammalian cellular dynamics in vivo in both physiological and pathological states.