Using Fluorescence-Mediated Tomography to Assess Murine Intestinal Inflammation

Allow a caged mouse to consume drinking water mixed with a synthetic sulfated polysaccharide known to induce colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease.

This polysaccharide penetrates the intestinal lumen and disrupts the epithelial barrier, allowing commensal microbes to penetrate the tissue, leading to inflammation.

Monocytes infiltrate the tissue and differentiate into macrophages.

Intravenously inject fluorophore-conjugated antibodies into the tail of the mouse.

The antibodies reach the colon and bind to the target glycoprotein on macrophages, labeling the cells.

Anesthetize the mouse. Shave the abdominal fur to minimize light reflection and absorption during imaging.

Place the mouse in an examination cassette and insert it into a fluorescence-mediated tomography or FMT scanner.

Upon excitation, the fluorophore emits a fluorescence. Capture the fluorescence reflectance images to reconstruct a three-dimensional map showing the spatial distribution of the fluorophores.

An elevated fluorescence intensity indicates an increased macrophage infiltration.