Skip to main content
Figure 1 | Arthritis Research & Therapy

Figure 1

From: Development of proteoglycan-induced arthritis depends on T cell-supported autoantibody production, but does not involve significant influx of T cells into the joints

Figure 1

T cells or B cells, transferred from arthritic BALB/c mice to severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice, are detectable by in vivo imaging in the popliteal lymph nodes (LNs) but not in the joints of the recipient mice. (a) Two-photon microscopy (TPM) image of the ankle joint of a SCID mouse 2 days after transfer of CellTracker Red (CMTPX)-labeled T cells and unlabeled non-T cells (antigen-presenting cells, or APCs) from arthritic BALB/c donors. No red fluorescent cells are visible in the joint. Second harmonic generation (SHG) signals from collagen fibers (around blood vessels) are detected in the green fluorescence channel in two-color acquisition. (b) TPM image of the joint-draining (popliteal) LN from the same mouse shows numerous red fluorescent donor T cells that homed to the LN. SHG (green) signals are from collagen in the LN capsule and stroma. (c) TPM image of the inflamed ankle of a SCID mouse 12 days after transfer of CellTracker Red-labeled T cells and CellTracker Green (CMFDA)-labeled APCs (>85% B cells) from arthritic donors. Although this joint was heavily inflamed, no red fluorescent T cells (or green fluorescent B cells) were found by in vivo TPM imaging. SHG signals from collagen are detected in the blue channel in this three-color acquisition image. Endogenous (auto) fluorescence from macrophages appears in light green. (d) TPM image of the popliteal LN from the same mouse shows large numbers of red fluorescent T cells and green fluorescent non-T cells (mostly B cells), which occupy the T-cell and B-cell zones of the LN, respectively. The TPM images shown are representative samples of ankle and LN images from six SCID mice at each time point. Scale bars, 100 μm.

Back to article page