Live Imaging of Mouse Retinal Slices

Abstract

Live fluorescent microscopy of whole-mount rodent retinal explants has proved to be extremely valuable for understanding dynamic events during retinogenesis. However, to obtain three-dimensional images with high-quality axial resolution, investigators are restricted to specific areas of the retina and require microscopes, such as two photon, with a higher level of depth penetrance. As an alternative, we report a retinal live-imaging protocol using slice cultures that are suitable for capturing discrete cellular events during retinal development and differentiation. This is a significant improvement upon current methods, as it is more amenable to a wider array of imaging systems and does not compromise resolution of retinal cross-sectional area.