Imaging Neutrophil-Pathogen Interactions in vivo

This chapter gives examples of the use of standard and advanced light microscopy techniques to visualize the interaction of selected pathogens with neutrophils in living animals. To date the knowledge on the dynamic interaction of invading pathogens with immune cells is at the very beginning. We focus on recent studies of the parasites Toxoplasma, Plasmodium and Leishmania in laboratory mice and the bacterial agent Pseudomonas in zebrafish. In addition we discuss the basic imaging requirements and some technical pitfalls that can occur during image acquisition and data analysis. Advanced imaging approaches have become an essential tool in modern cell biology, which is also reflected by the rapid development of new high-tech equipment.