Fibre Optic Confocal Imaging of Keratinocytes, Blood Vessels, and Nerves in Hairless Mouse Skin In Vivo

The study utilized fibre optic confocal imaging (FOCI) to perform subsurface fluorescence microscopy on the skin of hairless mice in vivo. By applying acridine orange, researchers visualized various skin layers, including corneocytes, keratinocytes, and redundant hair follicles, at depths greater than 100 μm. The use of acridine orange and DIOC5(3) allowed for the visualization of cellular and nuclear membranes of keratinocytes. FITC-dextran injection revealed a network of blood vessels, with blood cells observed moving through them, and 4-di-2-ASP highlighted nerve fibers around hair follicles and blood vessels. The study demonstrated FOCI's potential to observe dynamic in vivo events like blood flow and nerve regeneration, offering insights not possible with traditional methods.