Recording the wild lives of immune cells

Abstract

Intravital microscopic imaging can uncover fundamental aspects of immune cell behavior in real time in both healthy and pathological states. Here, we discuss approaches for single-cell imaging of adaptive and innate immune cells to explore how they migrate, communicate, and mediate regulatory or effector functions in various tissues throughout the body. We further review how intravital single-cell imaging can be used to study drug effects on immune cells.