Intravital Multiphoton Microscopy for Dissecting Cellular Dynamics in Arthritic Inflammation and Bone Destruction

Osteoclasts are giant bone-resorbing polykaryons that differentiate from mononuclear macrophage/monocyte-lineage hematopoietic precursors. They play critical roles not only in normal bone homeostasis (remodeling) but also in the pathogenesis of bone-destructive disorders such as osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. However, how the activity of mature osteoclasts is regulated in vivo remains unclear. To answer this question, we recently developed an advanced imaging system to visualize living bone tissues with intravital multiphoton microscopy. Using this system, we succeeded in visualization of mature osteoclasts in living bones.
Source: Springer protocols feed by Molecular Medicine - Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: news