Functional studies of the kidney of living animals  using multicolor two-photon microscopy

Optical microscopy, when applied to living animals, provides a powerful means of studying cell biology in the most physiologically relevant setting. The ability of two-photon microscopy to collect optical sections deep into biological tissues has opened up the field of intravital microscopy to high-resolution studies of the brain, lens, skin, and tumors. Here we present examples of the way in which two-photon microscopy can be applied to intravital studies of kidney physiology. Because the kidney is easily externalized without compromising its function, microscopy can be used to evaluate various aspects of renal function in vivo. These include cell vitality and apoptosis, fluid transport, receptor-mediated endocytosis, blood flow, and leukocyte trafficking. Efficient two-photon excitation of multiple fluorophores permits comparison of multiple probes and simultaneous characterization of multiple parameters and yields spectral information that is crucial to the interpretation of images containing uncharacterized autofluorescence. The studies described here demonstrate the way in which two-photon microscopy can provide a level of resolution previously unattainable in intravital microscopy, enabling kinetic analyses and physiological studies of the organs of living animals with subcellular resolution.

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In vivo visualization of uterine mast cells by two-photon microscopy

Reproduction ◽

10.1530/rep-13-0570 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 147 (6) ◽

pp. 781-788 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Franziska Schmerse ◽

Katja Woidacki ◽

Monika Riek-Burchardt ◽

Peter Reichardt ◽

Axel Roers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mast Cells ◽

Intravital Microscopy ◽

Fluorescent Protein ◽

Yellow Fluorescent Protein ◽

Specific Cell ◽

Enhanced Yellow Fluorescent Protein ◽

Two Photon Microscopy ◽

Two Photon ◽

Custom Made

Transgenic mice expressing fluorescent proteins in specific cell populations are widely used for the study ofin vivobehavior of these cells. We have recently reported that uterine mast cells (uMCs) are important for implantation and placentation. However, theirin vivolocalization in uterus before and during pregnancy is unknown. Herein, we report the direct observation of uMCsin vivousing double-transgenic C57BL/6JMcpt5-Cre ROSA26-EYFPmice with high expression of enhanced yellow fluorescent protein in MC protease 5 (Cma1(Mcpt5))-expressing cells by intravital two-photon microscopy. We were able to monitor MCs livein uteroduring the murine estrous cycle and at different days of pregnancy. We demonstrated that uMCs accumulated during the receptive phase of the female (estrus) and persisted in large numbers at early pregnancy stages and around mid-gestation and declined in number in non-pregnant animals at diestrus. This intravital microscopy technique, including a custom-made microscope stage and the adaption of the surgical procedure, allowed the access of the uterus and implantations for imaging. The introduced application of intravital microscopy to C57BL/6J-Mcpt5-Cre ROSA26-EYFPmice offers a novel and powerfulin vivoapproach to further address the evident relevance of uMCs to reproductive processes with obvious clinical implications.

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In vivo imaging of liver injury and regeneration by functional two-photon microscopy

Zeitschrift für Gastroenterologie ◽

10.1055/s-0036-1597342 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 54 (12) ◽

pp. 1343-1404

Author(s):

A Ghallab ◽

R Reif ◽

R Hassan ◽

AS Seddek ◽

JG Hengstler

Keyword(s):

Liver Injury ◽

In Vivo Imaging ◽

Two Photon Microscopy ◽

Two Photon

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A vector system for fast-forward studies of the HOPZ-ACTIVATED RESISTANCE1 (ZAR1) resistosome in the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana

Plant Physiology ◽

10.1093/plphys/kiab471 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Adeline Harant ◽

Hsuan Pai ◽

Toshiyuki Sakai ◽

Sophien Kamoun ◽

Hiroaki Adachi

Keyword(s):

Nicotiana Benthamiana ◽

Cell Biology ◽

Plant Immunity ◽

Transient Gene Expression ◽

Coiled Coil ◽

Experimental System ◽

Vector System ◽

In Planta ◽

Functional Studies

Abstract Nicotiana benthamiana has emerged as a complementary experimental system to Arabidopsis thaliana. It enables fast-forward in vivo analyses primarily through transient gene expression and is particularly popular in the study of plant immunity. Recently, our understanding of nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) plant immune receptors has greatly advanced following the discovery of the Arabidopsis HOPZ-ACTIVATED RESISTANCE1 (ZAR1) resistosome. Here, we describe a vector system of 72 plasmids that enables functional studies of the ZAR1 resistosome in N. benthamiana. We showed that ZAR1 stands out among the coiled coil class of NLRs (CC-NLRs) for being highly conserved across distantly related dicot plant species and confirmed NbZAR1 as the N. benthamiana ortholog of Arabidopsis ZAR1. Effector-activated and autoactive NbZAR1 trigger the cell death response in N. benthamiana and this activity is dependent on a functional N-terminal α1 helix. C-terminally tagged NbZAR1 remains functional in N. benthamiana, thus enabling cell biology and biochemical studies in this plant system. We conclude that the NbZAR1 open source pZA plasmid collection forms an additional experimental system to Arabidopsis for in planta resistosome studies.

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Sensory Transmission is Bi-directionally Modulated by Astrocytic Ca2+ in Barrel Cortex of Behaving Mice

10.21203/rs.3.rs-199750/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Simeng Gu ◽

Wei Wang ◽

Kuan Zhang ◽

Rou Feng ◽

Naling Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sensory Input ◽

Barrel Cortex ◽

Synaptic Function ◽

Metabolic Clearance ◽

Sleep State ◽

Two Photon Microscopy ◽

Two Photon ◽

Sensory Transmission

Abstract Different effects of astrocyte during sleep and awake have been extensively studied, especially for metabolic clearance by the glymphatic system, which works during sleep and stops working during waking states. However, how astrocytes contribute to modulation of sensory transmission during sleep and awake animals remain largely unknown. Recent advances in genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators have provided a wealth of information on astrocytic Ca2+, especially in their fine perisynaptic processes, where astrocytic Ca2+ most likely affects the synaptic function. Here we use two-photon microscopy to image astrocytic Ca2+ signaling in freely moving mice trained to run on a wheel in combination with in vivo whole-cell recordings to evaluate the role of astrocytic Ca2+ signaling in different behavior states. We found that there are two kinds of astrocytic Ca2+ signaling: a small long-lasting Ca2+ increase during sleep state and a sharp widespread but short-long-lasting Ca2+ spike when the animal was awake (fluorescence increases were 23.2 ± 14.4% for whisker stimulation at sleep state, compared with 73.3 ± 11.7% for at awake state, paired t-test, p < 0.01). The small Ca2+ transients decreased extracellular K+, hyperpolarized the neurons, and suppressed sensory transmission; while the large Ca2+ wave enhanced sensory input, contributing to reliable sensory transmission in aroused states. Locus coeruleus activation works as a switch between these two kinds of astrocytic Ca2+ elevation. Thus, we show that cortical astrocytes play an important role in processing of sensory input. These two types of events appear to have different pharmacological sources and may play a different role in facilitating the efficacy of sensory transmission.

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