Bioluminescence Imaging to Track Bacterial Infection and Wound Healing in a Mouse Model

Begin with a nude mouse bearing a skin wound.

The wound is protected with a dressing cover and a silicone splint to prevent wound contraction.

Carefully remove the silicone splint and dressing cover from the wound.

Capture a wound micrograph using a microscope equipped with a camera, with a ruler placed nearby for reference.

Apply a bioluminescent bacterial inoculum to the wound.

Cover the wound with a new dressing.

Allow the bacteria to form a biofilm on the wound.

Next, place the mouse in an isolation chamber equipped with air filters.

Using an imaging system, capture bioluminescence images at regular intervals until the signal declines. In parallel, record wound micrographs.

A progressive decline and eventual loss of the bioluminescent signal, along with wound closure observed in the micrographs, indicate bacterial biofilm clearance and successful wound healing.

Next, remove the dressing cover and silicone splints from the wounds and use a microscope with an attached camera to obtain micrographs of the wounds. Using a 200 microliter pipette tip with a cut end, pipette 10 microliters of the Biofilm inoculum onto each wound and cover the wounds with fresh dressings.

Then use an in vivo imagi