A Versatile, Portable Intravital Microscopy Platform for Studying Beta-cell Biology In Vivo

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Cell Biology
• Diabetes Research

Background:

• Pancreatic islets are complex micro-organs crucial for glucose homeostasis.
• Studying islet cell communication in vivo is essential for understanding diabetes pathogenesis.
• Islet isolation disrupts critical multicellular interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an adaptable platform for interrogating beta-cell function in vivo.
• To enable real-time observation of beta-cell signaling within the native islet niche.
• To advance the study of beta-cell physiology in various mouse models.

Main Methods:

• Development of beta-cell-selective, virally-encoded fluorescent protein biosensors.
• Utilizing intravital microscopy for cellular and subcellular data acquisition in living tissues.
• Employing abdominal imaging windows (AIW) for longitudinal, repeated in vivo observations.

Main Results:

• Successful observation of in vivo beta-cell-specific reactive oxygen species (ROS) dynamics using Grx1-roGFP2 biosensor.
• Real-time monitoring of calcium signaling in beta-cells using the GcAMP6s biosensor.
• Collection of longitudinal physiological and biosensor data through repeated imaging in the same mice.

Conclusions:

• The developed platform significantly advances in vivo studies of beta-cell structure and signaling.
• The platform's portability across mouse models facilitates comprehensive research on beta-cell physiology.
• This approach enables meaningful studies within the endogenous islet niche, crucial for diabetes research.