Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026
Non-invasive Imaging of Leukocyte Homing and Migration in vivo
Published on: December 5, 2010
Non-invasive imaging of leukocyte homing and migration in vivo
Baomei Wang1, Bernd H Zinselmeyer, Jeremiah R McDole
1Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University in St. Louis, USA.
Insights
This study introduces a non-invasive two-photon microscopy method for observing leukocyte trafficking in live mice. This technique avoids surgical preparation, enabling detailed study of immune cell movement in tissues.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Biomedical Imaging
Background:
- Two-photon (2P) microscopy offers high-resolution, spatiotemporal imaging of cell behaviors in live tissues.
- Leukocyte recruitment is crucial for host defense but challenging to study in vivo due to rapid cell movement and light-scattering tissues.
- Current intravital imaging often requires invasive surgical preparation, potentially causing artifacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a novel, non-invasive single-cell imaging approach for studying leukocyte trafficking.
- To enable in vivo visualization of leukocyte movement in the mouse footpad and phalanges without surgical intervention.
- To provide a detailed guide on the technical aspects and experimental execution of this non-invasive 2P imaging preparation.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of a non-invasive two-photon microscopy preparation.
- Imaging leukocyte trafficking within the vasculature of the mouse footpad and phalanges.
- Detailed description of experimental setup, execution, and data collection procedures.
Main Results:
- Successful implementation of a non-invasive 2P imaging technique for observing leukocyte trafficking.
- Demonstration of high-resolution, single-cell imaging of immune cell dynamics in intact mouse tissues.
- Avoidance of surgical-induced tissue damage and inflammation, allowing for more natural observation of cell behavior.
Conclusions:
- The described non-invasive 2P microscopy method provides a valuable tool for studying leukocyte trafficking in vivo.
- This approach overcomes the limitations of surgical preparations, offering a less artifact-prone method for immunological research.
- The technique facilitates detailed analysis of immune cell dynamics in specific anatomical locations like the mouse footpad.
Abstract:
Two-photon (2P) microscopy is a high resolution imaging technique that has been broadly adapted by biologists. The value of 2P microscopy is that it provides rich spatiotemporal information regarding cell behaviors within intact tissues and in live mice. Leukocyte recruitment plays a significant role in host defense against infection and when unchecked, can contribute to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Studying leukocyte recruitment in vivo is technically challenging since cells are moving rapidly within vessels located deep within light scattering tissues. To date, most intravital imaging studies require surgical preparation to expose the blood vessels and tissues. To avoid the tissue damage and inflammation induced by surgery itself, here, we describe a non-invasive single-cell imaging approach that can be used to study leukocyte trafficking in the mouse footpad and phalanges. We discuss the technical aspects of our 2P imaging preparation and walk the reader through a typical experiment from initial set up to execution and data collection.
