title: In vivo nonlinear imaging of corneal structures with special focus on BALB/c and streptozotocin-diabetic Thy1-YFP mice.
abstract: Two-photon microscopy (TPM) allows high contrast imaging at a subcellular resolution scale. In this work, the microscopy technique was applied to visualize corneal structures in two mouse models (BALB/c and B6.Cg-Tg(Thy1-YFP)16Jrs/J) in vivo. In particular, the transgenic Thy1-YFP mice expressing the yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) in all motor and sensory neurons had been used for investigating the nerve fiber density in healthy and streptozotocin-diabetic mice. This model is clinically relevant since patients suffering from diabetes mellitus have a high risk to develop small fiber neuropathy. Nonlinear laser scanning microscopy displayed a reduction of nerve fiber density in streptozotocin-diabetic versus healthy mice and confirmed data obtained by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). In recent years, corneal CLSM was proved to be an appropriate non-invasive tool for an early diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy. Nevertheless, validation of the CLSM method for the clinical routine is currently a matter of investigation and requires confirmation by further studies and complementary techniques. Thus, the present study provides further evidence of corneal confocal microscopy as a promising technique for non-invasive detection of diabetic neuropathy. Information derived from these experiments may become clinically relevant and help to develop new drugs for treatment of diabetic neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V., Hollerithallee 8, 30419, Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: t.ehmke@lzh.de.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ehmke
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Schillingallee 70, University of Rostock, 18057, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leckelt
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Doberaner Str. 140, University of Rostock, 18057, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reichard
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Schillingallee 70, University of Rostock, 18057, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Engineering, F.-Barnewitz Strasse 4, Rostock University Medical Center, 18119, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hovakimyan
authors.affiliation: Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V., Hollerithallee 8, 30419, Hannover, Germany; Institute of Quantum Optics, Welfengarten 1, Leibniz University Hannover, 30167, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heisterkamp
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Doberaner Str. 140, University of Rostock, 18057, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Stachs
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Schillingallee 70, University of Rostock, 18057, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baltrusch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000473:pathology*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: Applied optics; Confocal microscopy; Cornea; Diabetic neuropathy; Nonlinear microscopy; Ophthalmology