Imaging cell biology in live animals: ready for prime time

J Cell Biol. 2013 Jun 24;201(7):969-79. doi: 10.1083/jcb.201212130.

Abstract

Time-lapse fluorescence microscopy is one of the main tools used to image subcellular structures in living cells. Yet for decades it has been applied primarily to in vitro model systems. Thanks to the most recent advancements in intravital microscopy, this approach has finally been extended to live rodents. This represents a major breakthrough that will provide unprecedented new opportunities to study mammalian cell biology in vivo and has already provided new insight in the fields of neurobiology, immunology, and cancer biology.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Biology / trends
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytological Techniques
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / analysis
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / instrumentation
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods*
  • Time-Lapse Imaging / instrumentation
  • Time-Lapse Imaging / methods*

Substances

  • Green Fluorescent Proteins