Tracking neuroinflammation using transgenic mouse models and optical imaging

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurological disease for which there is no cure. Another lethal brain disease is stroke, which occurs when blood supply to the brain is disrupted by a blood vessel that bursts or becomes blocked. Neuroinflammation plays a key role in both of these diseases as well as in the pathogenesis for Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, and other forms of brain injury.

Read this case study where Dr. Jasna Kriz and her colleagues at Laval University in Quebec, developed transgenic mouse models for optical imaging of cells such as astroglia, microglia, and neurons. Mice were modified to express firefly luciferase when immune processes are activated enabling the researchers to study early neuroinflammatory events using the high sensitivity 2D & 3D optical imaging on the IVIS^® platform.

For research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.