In Vivo Imaging Core @2PIVIC

PS: if you want to try this model out yourself, you can view it online here (ingewortel.github.io/2022-listeria-…) to simulate your own experiments. [the end]

In summary: if we want to uncover how bacteria invade our body, not only the molecular details matter – but also how bacteria (& immune cells) move. Models like this offer precise control over the system, helping us answer that question (and sometimes: surprising us!) [10/11]

But what about infection? When bacteria move, target cells and phagocytes both become fly papers that “compete” for bacteria. Motion may help bacteria find targets… or it may help them get eaten. Still, we find that motile bacteria almost always infect faster. [9/11]

This is the simulation with phagocytes in pink. Scientists often talk about phagocytes “hunting” bacteria – but clearly that cannot work for bacteria this fast. Instead, the phagocytes (pink) act more like a “fly paper” catching bacteria (blue) as they pass by. [8/11]

Some immune cells called phagocytes can go to the gut and “eat” bacteria *before* they can infect. Can they still do that if these bacteria are moving? We looked at microscopy videos of moving phagocytes (specifically: neutrophils), and replicated these in our model. [7/11]

In other words, it is important to know if bacteria move - because motile bacteria might be more infectious. But that’s if we look only at the bacteria themselves. So far, we have been missing something important: what happens if we add immune cells to the mix? [6/11]

We then gathered info from several experiments into a computer model to “dig a little deeper” into what this scanning might mean. Bacteria (blue) try to find & infect targets (dark grey). Clearly, motile bacteria (right) infect much faster than non-motile ones (left)! [5/11]

At higher temperature, Lm also survives just fine – but it doesn’t grow the motor and, consequently, cannot move. These extremes are perfect to help answer our question! Comparing them, we asked: could it be that motility helps Lm infect our gut more easily? [3/11]

We looked at Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), a bacterium that grows in food and can cause severe gut infections. At room temperature (like in food), Lm gets a tail-shaped "motor" that lets it move ~5 body lengths per *second* (aka: ridiculously fast). [2/11]

Preprint time!🎉 First up: doi.org/10.1101/2022.0…, a fun collaboration with immunologist&imaging expert Mark Miller @WUSTLmed! @biorxiv_micrbio We know that many bacteria can move rapidly, but what does that mean for their ability to cause disease? Here's our answer.👇 [1/11]

@itchdoctor Awesome! Congratulations to Fang for her well deserved promotion! 👏👏

@itchdoctor Looking forward to your talk tomorrow!

Is there heterogeneity of #basophils (green) upon activation with #antigen? Yes-small ones that kiss sensory #neurons (red) in skin and large ones that are immotile. Why is this? Basophils are complex, powerful, and diverse despite being rare. Done with @2PIVIC (press play)

Happy #FluorescenceFriday! Today we highlight the work of Mark Miller @2PIVIC. Mark uses 2P microscopy to study the role of T cells motility in immune responses. #microscopy #multiphoton #immunology. 1/3

@itchdoctor Wishing you a Merry Christmas and speedy recovery! Please take care and get better soon! Btw despite of COVID+, you guys look great and your smile is warming our hearts 😍

WUSM In Vivo Imaging Core - Specialized in Two-Photon Imaging youtu.be/Os1bBxxKFqA via @YouTube

@itchdoctor @IcahnMountSinai @SinaiImmunol @SinaiBrain @MiriamMerad @EricJNestler That would have been nice… But it won’t stop us from collaborating so let’s keep our important discovery going together!

Check out the intravital two-photon imaging of Basophils interacting with nerve fibers. Congrats @itchdoctor and Fang Wang on this important discovery! sciencedirect.com/science/articl…

Congrats to Kim Lab postdoc Fang Wang on her paper in @CellCellPress today on #atopic #dermatitis #basophils #IgE #leukotriene and #itch #neuroimmune thk to @WUSTLmed @WUDeptMedicine @WashUDerm @Regeneron @JohnsHopkins @HopkinsNeuro @riken_en #dermtwitter authors.elsevier.com/a/1cPj2L7PXcMTo