A confocal endomicroscope for clinical research

描述（由申请人提供）：该提案旨在为耶鲁医学院获得Cellvizio共焦显微内镜成像系统。在细胞和分子生物学和生理学中使用光学显微镜的持续复兴在很大程度上是由共聚焦荧光显微镜系统的发展驱动的，再加上细胞结构和功能的特异性荧光探针的可用性，它们共同扩展了我们可视化和量化细胞和组织中事件的能力。由于其“光学切片”细胞和组织的能力，激光扫描共聚焦显微镜提供了一种具有空间分辨率的工具，用于定义完整组织和器官内活细胞的结构和功能。到目前为止，共聚焦显微镜主要是实验室研究的工具.我们寻求获得的共聚焦成像系统将使我们的研究人员能够直接在患者身上进行共聚焦成像。所要求的仪器专门设计用于与胃肠内窥镜和支气管镜配合使用，并将用于在接受GI内窥镜、胰胆或支气管镜手术的患者中获得共焦图像。将立即利用该设备的具体临床研究项目包括炎症性肠病中粘膜下免疫细胞运输的研究，哮喘和慢性阻塞性肺病中气道重塑的进展，以粘膜炎症为特征的疾病中上皮分泌和增殖的改变，以及胆管癌和其他胆道疾病中的淋巴管生成。这一新的临床研究工具的科学和行政监督将由已建立的成像核心设施提供，额外的机构承诺将确保长期提供适当的技术支持、服务和用品。总之，所要求的设备和我们将为其提供的支持将使我们的研究人员能够将他们基于共聚焦成像的研究从实验室转移到床边，以扩大他们由NIH资助的基础和转化研究，包括对人类的直接研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal seeks to acquire a Cellvizio confocal endomicroscopic imaging system for Yale Medical School. The ongoing renaissance in the use of light microscopy for cell and molecular biology and physiology has been driven in large part by the development of confocal fluorescence microscope systems, coupled with availability of specific fluorescent probes of cell structure and function, which together extend our abilities to visualize and quantify events in cells and tissues. Because of its ability to "optically section" cells and tissues, laser scanning confocal microscopy provides a tool with the spatial resolution needed to define structure and function in live cells within intact tissues and organs. Until now, confocal microscopy has largely been a tool for laboratory- based research. The confocal imaging system that we seek to obtain will enable our investigators to perform confocal imaging directly in patients as well. The requested instrument is specifically designed for use with gastrointestinal endoscopes and bronchoscopes, and would be used to obtain confocal images in patients who are undergoing GI endoscopic, pancreatobiliary, or bronchoscopic procedures. Specific clinical research projects that would take immediate advantage of this equipment include investigation of submucosal immune cell trafficking in inflammatory bowel disease, progression of airway remodeling in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, alterations in epithelial secretion and proliferation in disorders characterized by mucosal inflammation, and lymphangiogenesis in cholangiocarcinoma and in other biliary tract diseases. Scientific and administrative oversight for this new clinical research tool would be provided by an established imaging core facility, and additional institutional commitments would assure that proper technical support, service, and supplies would be available long-term. Together, the requested equipment and the support we will provide for it would enable our investigators to move their confocal imaging-based research from the bench to the bedside in order to expand their NIH-funded basic and translational research to include direct studies in humans.