Intravital imaging of the kidney

Abstract

Two-photon intravital microscopy is a powerful tool that allows the examination of dynamic cellular processes in the live animal with unprecedented resolution. Indeed, it offers the ability to address unique biological questions that may not be solved by other means. While two-photon intravital microscopy has been successfully applied to study many organs, the kidney presents its own unique challenges that need to be overcome in order to optimize and validate imaging data. For kidney imaging, the complexity of renal architecture and salient autofluorescence merit special considerations as these elements directly impact image acquisition and data interpretation. Here, using illustrative cases, we provide practical guides and discuss issues that may arise during two-photon live imaging of the rodent kidney.

The archaeal Dps nanocage targets kidney proximal tubules via glomerular filtration

“…Whether this was due to ongoing catalytic activity derived from residual Dps subunits or secondary gene expression changes is unclear (e.g., reduced gene expression of oxidizing enzymes; the fluorophores used are stable in a wide range of pH in vivo, including the kidney [refs. 38,39], and thus, fluorescence artifacts are less likely).…”

Renal Interstitial Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor-β Cells Support Proximal Tubular Regeneration

“…This study focused on the regeneration of proximal tubular S1 segments, which were distinguished from S2 segments by differences in the autofluorescence as described before. 25 As a second criterion to confirm S1 segment identity, we detected the internalization of injected FITC albumin.…”

“…S1 proximal tubular segments were identified in vivo by the endocytosis of FITC albumin and the characteristic autofluorescence as described before. 25 To track tubular regenerative processes, we performed lineage tracing of partially induced Pax8-iCre 3 Confetti mice. One to two days after local tubular injury, Confetti-positive tubular cells near the injury site changed from a cubical ( Figure 1, A and C) to a flask-like shape (Figure 1, B and D), which was accompanied by the migration of these cells toward the site of injury (Figure 1).…”

Morphological and functional characteristics of aging kidneys based on two‐photon microscopy in vivo

“…TPM provides a powerful tool to noninvasively visualize dynamic cellular processes in vivo with its advantages, including high resolution, deep penetration depth and low‐level damage to biological tissues, and also offers the ability to address unique biological questions that may not be solved by other means . Although two‐photon intravital microscopy has been successfully applied to study many organs, kidney presents its own unique challenges that need to be overcome in order to optimize and validate imaging data, such as complex structure and salient autofluorescence of kidney . Researchers have demonstrated the ability to image kidney microstructures and functions (blood flow and filtration rate) using TPM .…”