title: In Vivo Visualization of (Auto)Immune Processes in the Central Nervous System of Rodents.
abstract: The CNS is effectively shielded from the periphery by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) which limits the entry of cells and solutes. However, in autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis, immune cells can overcome this barrier and induce the formation of CNS inflammatory lesions. Recently, two-photon laser scanning microscopy (TPLSM) has made it possible to visualize autoimmune processes in the living CNS in real time. However, along with a high microscopy standard, this technique requires an advanced surgical procedure to access the region of interest. Here, we describe in detail the necessary methodological steps to visualize (auto)immune processes in living rodent tissue. We focus on the procedures to image the leptomeningeal vessels of the thoracic spinal cord during transfer experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in LEW rats (AT EAE) and in active EAE in C57BL/6 mice (aEAE).
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroimmunology, Institute for Multiple Sclerosis Research, University Medical Centre Göttingen and Gemeinnützige Hertie-Stiftung, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schläger
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Litke
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Flügel
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Odoardi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000276:immunology; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein