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Updated: Mar 9, 2026
Intravital Imaging of Intraepithelial Lymphocytes in Murine Small Intestine
Published on: June 24, 2019
Dynamic intravital imaging of cell-cell interactions in the lymph node
Jens V Stein1, Santiago F Gonzalez2
1Theodor Kocher Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Insights
Live imaging using 2-photon microscopy reveals distinct cell behaviors in lymph nodes. This approach enhances understanding of immune cell interactions and immune response initiation in draining lymph nodes.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Microscopy
Background:
- 2-photon intravital microscopy has become a key tool for studying immune cell dynamics.
- Understanding cell interactions is crucial for deciphering immune functions.
- Lymph nodes are central sites for initiating adaptive immune responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in live imaging of lymph nodes.
- To categorize immune cells within lymph nodes based on motility.
- To highlight the contribution of in vivo imaging to understanding immune responses.
Main Methods:
- Application of 2-photon intravital microscopy for live imaging.
- Classification of immune cells into sessile and motile compartments.
- In vivo observation of cell behavior within draining lymph nodes.
Main Results:
- Identification of a sessile compartment (stromal cells, macrophages, resident dendritic cells) and a motile compartment (T and B lymphocytes).
- Demonstration of how live imaging visualizes distinct cell motility patterns.
- Correlation of observed cell behaviors with immune response initiation.
Conclusions:
- Live imaging provides critical insights into immune cell interactions within lymph nodes.
- The classification of cells into motile and sessile compartments aids in understanding immune regulation.
- In vivo microscopy is essential for advancing our knowledge of immune surveillance and response.
Abstract:
In the last decade, the application of 2-photon intravital microscopy as a tool to study cell interactions in different areas of the immune system has offered an unprecedented opportunity to understand the complexity of cell behavior in relation to immune functions. In this review we describe the latest advances in the field of live imaging in the lymph nodes, grouping the different cell populations in 2 compartments according to their motility: the sessile compartment, which is formed by resident cells of stromal origin, macrophages, and resident dendritic cells, and the motile compartment, which is mainly formed by T and B lymphocytes. Here we review how the use of in vivo imaging has contributed to our understanding of the role of these cells in the initiation of the immune response in the draining lymph nodes.
