title: Intravital microscopy to study leukocyte recruitment in vivo.
abstract: The intravital microscopy is a valuable tool to capture images of cells in living organisms and to make studies of molecular determinants of leukocyte trafficking easier. Using this technique, we can directly visualize and measure each step of the leukocyte recruitment paradigm, including leukocyte rolling flux, rolling velocity, adhesion, and emigration. Thus, it is possible to understand the process involved in leukocyte homing as well as the cell recruitment to inflammatory tissues. Nowadays, two types of intravital microscopy are used routinely. The light microscopy is used to assess migration of intravascular cells in thin, tissues which must be sufficiently translucent. Epifluorescence microscopy allows the visualization of the microcirculation while permitting the distinction of leukocyte subpopulations in solid organs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, ICB, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. vpinho@icb.ufmg.br
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pinho
authors.forename: Fernanda Matos
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: Gustavo Batista
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.forename: Denise Carmona
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Cara
mesh_terms: D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000502:physiology*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*