Pancreatic Intravital Imaging Window Installation in Mouse Model: An Integrated Pancreatic Imaging Window for Time-lapse In Vivo Imaging of Murine Pancreas Microstructure

Begin by preparing the surgical platform, and disinfecting the surfaces with 70% ethanol. After anesthetization, use a rectal probe with a homeothermic controlled heating pad to monitor the body temperature.

Remove hair from the left flank of the mouse and apply alcohol and iodine alternatively, rotating from the incision site to the outer surface, never going back to the incision site and ending with iodine. Then make a 1.5-centimeter incision on the left flank of the mouse dissecting the skin and the muscle.

Use a black or nylon 4-0 suture to perform a purse-string suture in the incision margin. Pool the spleen carefully with ring forceps, and identify the pancreas. Placing the window at the flank of the mouse, pass the spleen and the pancreas through the open space of the window.

Then, gently place the pancreas on the plate of the imaging window while placing the spleen on the open space of the window. Use a 31 gauge catheter needle to apply drops of N-butyl cyanoacrylate glue to the margin of the imaging window, ensuring a minimal amount of glue is applied.

Gently apply a 12-millimeter round cover glass to the margin of the imaging window. Then, hold the suture loop to fit into the lateral groove of the window and tie it three times. Finally, to prevent the interruption of these tight stitches when the mice are awake, cut the maximal proximal site of the tie.