Advances in intravital imaging of liver immunity using optical microscopy and labeling methods

Abstract

The use of optical microscopy and labeling methods in intravital imaging allows for direct tracking of cell behavior and dynamic changes at the molecular level in the physiological or pathological microenvironment of living animals, revealing the spatiotemporal information of individual cells in the immune response. The liver is an immunological organ that contains unique innate and adaptive immune cells, including Kupffer cells (KCs) and different types of T cells, and is involved in coordinating multiple immune responses in the body. Using intravital imaging to visualize the movement behaviors and functions of immune cells during the reaction processes of the liver under physiological and pathological conditions has shed new light on the understanding of liver immunity, which is of great significance for the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases. This review introduces various window models and labeling methods for the liver in intravital optical imaging and describes how it provides movement behavior and functional information about different types of immune cells, such as KCs and T cells, in the liver. Additionally, we highlight recent advances in intravital optical imaging of liver diseases, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, infections, and tumors. This review aims to be a useful resource for comprehending the developments and achievements in intravital imaging of the liver and uncovering spatiotemporal information of immune response in a living microenvironment.