Understanding immune cell trafficking patterns via in vivo bioluminescence imaging

摘要: Cell migration is a key aspect of the development immune system and mediating an response. There extensive continual redistribution cells to different anatomic sites throughout body. These trafficking patterns control function, tissue regeneration, host responses insult. The ability monitor fate function cells, therefore, imperative both understanding role specific in disease processes devising rational therapeutic strategies. Determining functional changes associated with proliferation require effective means obtaining vivo measurements context intact organ systems. A variety imaging methods are available provide structural information, such as X-ray CT MRI, but only recently new tools have been developed that reveal cellular molecular they occur within living animals. We pioneered one these techniques based on observations light passes through mammalian tissues, luciferases can serve internal biological sources This method, called bioluminescence imaging, rapid noninvasive method employs light-emitting reporters external photon detection follow animals real time. strategy enables studies for cell types live animal models human biology disease. Using this approach we elucidated spatiotemporal lymphocytes In autoimmune used "pathogenic" diseased tissues locally deliver express proteins. Similarly, determined tempo NK-T neoplastic lesions measured their life span vivo. individual groups be followed over time significantly reducing number per experiment, improving statistical significance study since given population studied Such assays fates will increase our basic signals migratory pathways substantially speed up evaluation therapies.