Photon Imager

A mouse model of peripheral tissue ischemia was used to study (i) the survival of transplanted allogeneic bone marrow-derived stromal cells (BMSCs), and (ii) the homing capacity of allogeneic BMSC towards an ischemically compromized hind limb. Fluorescent and bioluminescent BMSCs2 (FVB origin) were injected into male C57BL/6 mice after surgical ligation of the left femoral artery. Progenitor cells were injected either intravenously (IV), intra-arterially into the left heart ventricle or intramuscularly (IM) into the calf muscle. Cell homing was studied with bioluminescence and in vivo fibered microscopy.
Courtesy of Dr. B Everaert, University of Antwerp, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Antwerp, Belgium

MacroLens fluorescence acquisition of a mosquito expressing DsRed in its salivary glands, infected with GFP expressing malaria.
The malaria sporozoites first home in the insect thorax before migrating to the salivary glands of the mosquito. Such a migration is thought to be facilitated by specific chemo-attractants.
The acquisition clearly shows the GFP expression of the parasite in the insect's thorax and the DsRed expressing salivary glands. This double labeled image was overlayed with a white light picture of the mosquito, and the movie shows the two pictures overlayed with different transparency levels. Click on the image to get a larger view of the signal image.

Courtesy of Dr. Shigeto Yoshida, Department of infection and immunity, Jichi Medical school, Saimata, Japan.

Renal carcinoma cells (RC-21) were inoculated into the right side of the kidney capsules. Metastases could be observed in both kidneys and ovaries after 6 weeks
Courtesy of I. Que, E. Kajizel and C. Löwik, LUMC, Leiden, Netherlands

After UV excitation, the particles were injected in the animal and emitted light during several minutes based on the time delayed fluorescence principle. This technique gives the best of both worlds: the high contrast of bioluminescence and great signal of fluorescence.
Le Masne de Chermont et al, Nanoprobes with near-infrared persistent luminescence for in vivo imaging, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2007 (May) (link)

Bioluminescence in neuronal precursors in mouse embryo developing brains.
Courtesy of Dr. S. Couillard Despres and Pr. L. Aigner, Paracelsus Medical University, Institute of Molecular Regenerative Medicine, Salzburg, Austria

Inoculation of C17.2 stem cells in the left hemisphere of the brain.
Courtesy of I. Que, E. Kajizel, C. Löwik, LUMC, Leiden, Netherlands

Right and left: fluorescence in mice infected by CMV.Center: control mouse.

PC3 Pro4 cells were injected in the left ventricule of the heart (150 000 cells). Acquisition tool place 20 minutes after injection.
Courtesy of I. Que, G. Van Der Pluijm, C. Löwik, LUMC, Leiden, Netherlands

Fluorescence in neuronal precursors of a C57 black/6 mouse (control mouse on the right). Dr. S. Couillard Despres and Pr. L. Aigner, Univ. Regensburg, Germany

30 sec. acquisition of ganglion metastases.
Courtesy of F. Ducongé, CEA/SHFJ, Orsay, France.

Bioluminescent human multiple myeloma (MM) cells were imaged 7 weeks after intravenous injection into RAG2cg knock-out mice. Myeloma cells show a specific but random homing to and outgrowth in the bone marrow compartment. Tumors can precisely located, e.g. in individual bones of the vertebral column. The image was obtained after shaving and applying hair removal creme to the animal. Courtesy of Dr. Anton C.M. Martens, Dept. of Immunology, UMC-Utrecht, The Netherlands

Fluorescence Imaging to detect human multiple myeloma (MM) cells, 7 weeks after intravenous injection into RAG2cg knock-out mice on the basis of CD38 expression. Myeloma cells show specific, but random homing to and outgrowth in the bone marrow compartment. 48 hours before acquisition, the mice were injected with Alexa647 labeled anti-human CD38. Multiple Myeloma tumors can be localized at various location throughout in the bone marrow compartment.
Courtesy of Dr. Anton C.M. Martens, Dept. of Immunology, UMC-Utrecht, The Netherlands

Human adenocarcinoma pancreatic cells were xenograffted in immunodefficient NOG mice. The cells were imaged with both bioluminescence (green) and the fluorescence (red). The colocalisation of the two signals (BLI and FLI) appears in yellow.
Courtesy of Dr S. Dabernat and Dr. B. Rousseau, Victor Segalen - Bordeaux II University, Bordeaux, France

Ca²⁺ responses in a 7 day-old mtGA-expressing mouse. The mouse was injected with kainic acid intra peritoneally (25 mg/Kg). Imaging started right after injection. The calcium waves activated the Aequorin-GFP BRET mechanism, resulting in light production direclty linked with the propagation of the calcium transients. Calcium release was observed to reach a peak 15 minutes after kainate injection.

From Rogers et al: Non-invasive in vivo imaging of calcium signaling in mice, PLoS ONE, 2(10): e974 (2007) (link)