title: Ion imaging during axolotl tail regeneration in vivo.
abstract: Several studies have reported that endogenous ion currents are involved in a wide range of biological processes from single cell and tissue behavior to regeneration. Various methods are used to assess intracellular and local ion dynamics in biological systems, e.g., patch clamping and vibrating probes. Here, we introduce an approach to detect ion kinetics in vivo using a noninvasive method that can electrophysiologically characterize an entire experimental tissue region or organism. Ion-specific vital dyes have been successfully used for live imaging of intracellular ion dynamics in vitro. Here, we demonstrate that cellular pH, cell membrane potential, calcium, sodium and potassium can be monitored in vivo during tail regeneration in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) using ion-specific vital dyes. Thus, we suggest that ion-specific vital dyes can be a powerful tool to obtain electrophysiological data during crucial biological events in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, Dresden, Germany. nurdan.oezkucur@tu-dresden.de
authors.forename: Nurdan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozkucur
authors.forename: Hans-Henning
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Epperlein
authors.forename: Richard H W
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Funk
mesh_terms: D000558:Ambystoma mexicanum / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013623:Tail / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium