Institute for experimental Immunology and Imaging

Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy of ECi cleared kidneys. Optical sections of an ECi cleared and LSFM-visualized entire murine kidney show endothelial structures (CD31), as the interlobar vessels and glomerular capillary tufts. (By Anika Klingberg, )

Incidental beauty. MIP of the autofluorescence of an unknown phytagel contamination imaged using light sheet fluorescence microscopy. (By Lea Bornemann and Simon Merz)

In vitro hyphal cell wall staining of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. Aspergillus fumigatus tdTomato is stained with the fluorophore coupled antibody JF5 Dylight650 and the nucleus with DAPI. The fungus was grown for 16h after conidia seeding. (By Djamschid Solouk)

Microglia in the brain of a CX3CR1-GFP mouse. In-situ 2-Photon imaging of a CX3CR1-GFP mouse brain shows GFP+ microglia in the tissue below the meninges (SHG) and the brain vasculature (CD31). (By Anika Klingberg, )

Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy of ECi cleared organs. Optical clearing via ECi allows LSFM of soft and hard murine organs, as bones (calvaria, left), kidney (middle) and heart (right). While autofluorescent signals provide detailed information of general tissue composition, specific antibody-labeling enables the visualization of defined cell types, as e.g. endothelial staining (CD31). (By Anika Klingberg, )

Combined confocal and 2-photon laser scanning microscopy of glomerular capillary tufts. Sequential confocal and 2-Photon laser scanning microscopy allows the visualization of endothelial structures (CD31) in healthy (left) and NTN-affected (right) glomerular capillary tufts in combination with SHG signal of the Bowman’s capsule in the autofluorescent kidney tissue (Scalebars = 20 µm). (By Anika Klingberg, )

Visualisation of NETs with central zoom in via SEM (= Scanning Electron Microscopy). Human Neutrophils were stimulated with PMA and E.coli added. They were incubated for 3 hours at 37°C to induce NETs, which caught the E.coli. (Inlens 50X, SE2 1.01KX, SE2 29.27KX) (By Jacqueline Heinen-Weiler)

MIP and 3D reconstructions of murine testis imaged using light sheet fluorescence microscopy. Autofluorescence and Endothelia are depicted. (By Simon Merz, Sophie Henneberg and Sebastian Korste)

Visualisation of NETs by bicoloured dSTORM. Human Neutrophils were stimulated with PMA for 3 hours at 37°C. Afterwards, the cells were fixed with 4% PFA. Histones H1 and Neutrophil Elastase were stained with antibodies. Consequently the MEA-buffer was added, which brought the fluochromes in a blinking state. (By Alexandra Brenzel and Jacqueline Heinen-Weiler)

Alveolar macrophages in the lung. In-situ 2-Photon imaging of a MacBlue-eCFP mouse lung shows CFP+ alveolar macrophages in the alveoli of the lung (SHG). (By Sophie Henneberg)

PMA-induced NETosis of human neutrophils. 2-Photon imaging of NETosis events induced via PMA-stimulation. The extracellular traps are stained with Sytox-Orange, while the activation of neutrophils is indicated via the expression of CD66b on the cell surface. (By Anika Klingberg and Manuel Stecher)

Visualisation of NETs via SEM (= Scanning Electron Microscopy). Human Neutrophils were stimulated with PMA and E.coli added. They were incubated for 3 hours at 37°C to induce NETs, which caught the E.coli. Afterwards the image was colored using Photoshop (Adobe). (By Jacqueline Heinen-Weiler)

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IMCES

Institute for Experimental Immunology and Imaging
University Hospital Essen

Studying immune cell function in vivo

Welcome to our website!

At the IEII, we investigate the function of immune cells in the context of an intact animal organism. Using advanced methods of optical imaging and innovative experimental systems, we analyze how defined populations of immune cells behave under physiological and pathological conditions. The underlying molecular mechanisms are elucidated. We focus on disease models of fungal and bacterial lung infection as well as sterile inflammation during stroke or tumor growth.

Video by Nature about our newly published paper named "A network of trans-cortical capillaries as mainstay for blood circulation in long bones" in Nature Metabolism (English only).
Latest News

05/24/2019

A new paper has been published.
Contemporaneous 3D characterization of acute and chronic myocardial I/R injury and response.

05/24/2019

Three new papers have been published.
Externalized histone H4 orchestrates chronic inflammation by inducing lytic cell death, Location of Neutrophils in Different Compartments of the Damaged Mouse Brain After Severe Ischemia/Reperfusion and Non-classical monocyte homing to the gut via α4β7 integrin mediates macrophage-dependent intestinal wound healing.

03/25/2019

A new paper has been published.
Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils Play a Decisive Role for Brain Injury and Neurological Recovery Poststroke.

02/27/2019

Two new papers have been published.
Differential attenuation of β2 integrin-dependent and -independent neutrophil migration by Ly6G ligation and Infection of B Cell Follicle-Resident Cells by Friend Retrovirus Occurs during Acute Infection and Is Maintained during Viral Persistence..