Laser Ablation and Intravital Microscopy to Study Intestinal Remodeling

This protocol outlines a method combining laser ablation and intravital microscopy to study intestinal regeneration, allowing precise control over the location and extent of damage. The technique enables repeated imaging of the same intestinal regions in mice over time, providing insights into long-term tissue remodeling. It minimizes the number of animals needed and reduces intra-animal variation by allowing the same organ to be imaged under both homeostatic and regenerating conditions. The protocol emphasizes maintaining animal wellbeing and data quality through sterile techniques and proper equipment settings. It offers advantages over previous models by confining damage to specific areas and timing the onset of damage precisely. This approach is applicable to various research fields, including regeneration, immunology, and cancer, and can be enhanced with fluorescent reporter mice to visualize specific cells and structures.