Probe‐based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) – a new imaging technique for in situ localization of spermatozoa

Trottmann, Matthias; Stepp, Herbert; Sroka, Ronald; Heide, Michael; Liedl, Bernhard; Reese, Sven ; Becker, Armin J.; Stief, Christian G. and Kölle, Sabine (3. July 2014): Probe‐based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) – a new imaging technique for in situ localization of spermatozoa. In: Journal of Biophotonics, Vol. 8, No. 5: pp. 415-421

Abstract

In azoospermic patients, spermatozoa are routinely obtained by testicular sperm extraction (TESE). However, success rates of this technique are moderate, because the site of excision of testicular tissue is determined arbitrarily. Therefore the aim of this study was to establish probe-based laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) a noval biomedical imaging technique, which provides the opportunity of non-invasive, real-time visualisation of tissue at histological resolution. Using pCLE we clearly visualized longitudinal and horizontal views of the tubuli seminiferi contorti and localized vital spermatozoa. Obtained images and real-time videos were subsequently compared with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) of spermatozoa and tissues, respectively. Comparative visualization of single native Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM, left) and probe-based laser endomicroscopy (pCLE, right) using Pro Flex(TM) UltraMini O after staining with acriflavine.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Form of publication: Publisher's Version
• Keywords: Confocal laser scanning microscopy; Real-time systems; medical imaging; spermatozoa; testicular sperm retrieval
• Faculties: Medicine; Veterinary Medicine; Veterinary Medicine > Department of Veterinary Medicine; Veterinary Medicine > Department of Veterinary Medicine > Lehrstuhl für Anatomie, Histologie und Embryologie
• Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• ISSN: 1864-063X
• Language: English