A Novel Intravital Imaging Window for Longitudinal Microscopy of the Mouse Ovary

Abstract

The ovary is a dynamic organ that undergoes dramatic remodeling throughout the ovulatory cycle. Maturation of the ovarian follicle, release of the oocyte in the course of ovulation as well as formation and degradation of corpus luteum involve tightly controlled remodeling of the extracellular matrix and vasculature. Ovarian tumors, regardless of their tissue of origin, dynamically interact with the ovarian microenvironment. Their activity in the tissue encompasses recruitment of host stroma and immune cells, attachment of tumor cells to mesothelial layer, degradation of the extracellular matrix and tumor cell migration. High-resolution dynamic imaging of such processes is particularly challenging for internal organs. The implementation of a novel imaging window as reported here enabled longitudinal microscopy of ovarian physiology and orthotopic tumor invasion.