Multiphoton Imaging of the Functioning Kidney

Translating discoveries made in isolated renal cells and tubules to the in vivo situation requires the assessment of cellular function in intact live organs. Multiphoton imaging is a form of fluorescence microscopy that is ideally suited to working with whole tissues and organs, but adequately loading cells with fluorescence dyes in vivo remains a challenge. We found that recirculation of fluorescence dyes in the rat isolated perfused kidney (IPK) resulted in levels of intracellular loading that would be difficult to achieve in vivo. This technique allowed the imaging of tubular cell structure and function with multiphoton microscopy in an intact, functioning organ. We used this approach to follow processes in real time, including (1) relative rates of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in different tubule types, (2) filtration and tubular uptake of low-molecular-weight dextrans and proteins, and (3) the effects of ischemia-reperfusion injury on mitochondrial function and cell structure. This study demonstrates that multiphoton microscopy of the isolated perfused kidney is a powerful technique for detailed imaging of cell structure and function in an intact organ.