Comparative Med
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In vivo bioluminescent imaging (BLI) is a versatile and sensitive tool that is based on detection of light emission from cells or tissues. Bioluminescence, the biochemical generation of light by a living organism, is a naturally occurring phenomenon. Luciferase enzymes, such as that from the North American firefly (Photinus pyralis), catalyze the oxidation of a substrate (luciferin), and photons of light are a product of the reaction. ⋯ Bioluminescence has been used to track tumor cells, bacterial and viral infections, gene expression, and treatment response. Bioluminescence in vivo imaging allows longitudinal monitoring of a disease course in the same animal, a desirable alternative to analyzing a number of animals at many time points during the course of the disease. We provide a brief introduction to BLI technology, specific examples of in vivo BLI studies investigating bacterial/viral pathogenesis and tumor growth in animal models, and highlight some future perspectives of BLI as a molecular imaging tool.