Longitudinal high-resolution imaging through a flexible intravital imaging window.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 34134982.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.abg7663 and PMC identifier 8208712.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Intravital microscopy (IVM) is a powerful technique that enables imaging of internal tissues at (sub)cellular resolutions in living animals. Here, we present a silicone-based imaging window consisting of a fully flexible, sutureless design that is ideally suited for long-term, longitudinal IVM of growing tissues and tumors. Crucially, we show that this window, without any customization, is suitable for numerous anatomical locations in mice using a rapid and standardized implantation procedure. This low-cost device represents a substantial technological and performance advance that facilitates intravital imaging in diverse contexts in higher organisms, opening previously unattainable avenues for in vivo imaging of soft and fragile tissues.