title: Confocal imaging protocols for live/dead staining in three-dimensional carriers.
abstract: In tissue engineering, a variety of methods are commonly used to evaluate survival of cells inside tissues or three-dimensional (3D) carriers. Among these methods confocal laser scanning microscopy opened accessibility of 3D tissue using live cell imaging into the tissue or 3D scaffolds. However, although this technique is ideally applied to 3D tissue or scaffolds with thickness up to several millimetres, this application is surprisingly rare and scans are often done on slices with thickness <20 μm. Here, we present novel protocols for the staining of 3D tissue (e.g. intervertebral disc tissue) and scaffolds, such as fibrin gels or alginate beads.
authors.affiliation: ARTORG, Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, Institute for Surgical Technology and Biomechanics, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. benjamin.gantenbein@artorg.unibe.ch
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gantenbein-Ritter
authors.forename: Christoph M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sprecher
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Svenja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Illien-Jünger
authors.forename: Sibylle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002469:Cell Separation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D005337:Fibrin / Q000494:pharmacology; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D007267:Injections; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000378:metabolism; D012996:Solutions; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; C070080:PKH 26; D012996:Solutions; D005337:Fibrin