A Bright Future for Fluorescence Imaging of Fungi in Living Hosts

Traditional <i>in vivo</i> investigation of fungal infection and new antifungal therapies in mouse models is usually carried out using post mortem methodologies. However, biomedical imaging techniques focusing on non-invasive techniques using bioluminescent and fluorescent proteins have...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ambre F. Chapuis, Elizabeth R. Ballou, Donna M. MacCallum
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-04-01
Series:Journal of Fungi
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/5/2/29
Description
Summary:Traditional <i>in vivo</i> investigation of fungal infection and new antifungal therapies in mouse models is usually carried out using post mortem methodologies. However, biomedical imaging techniques focusing on non-invasive techniques using bioluminescent and fluorescent proteins have become valuable tools. These new techniques address ethical concerns as they allow reduction in the number of animals required to evaluate new antifungal therapies. They also allow better understanding of the growth and spread of the pathogen during infection. In this review, we concentrate on imaging technologies using different fungal reporter proteins. We discuss the advantages and limitations of these different reporters and compare the efficacy of bioluminescent and fluorescent proteins for fungal research.
ISSN:2309-608X