Credit: Christiane Peuckert, Stockholm University
Reconstruction of an intravitally acquired z-stack of the renal cortex of a mouse 4 hours post infection by Candida albicans. The 3D reconstruction is virtually clipped to expose the fungal cells growing between tubules and a hyphal cell penetrating a tubular epithelial cell. Prior to infection, non-filamenting cells constitutively expressing red fluorescent protein yEmRFP were stained with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC; green). The FITC fluorescent probe remains associated with mother cells and emerging hyphal daughter cells appear red. The tubules are visualized due to the intrinsic NAD(P)H autofluorescence (teal). The green autofluorescent structures on the surface originate from collagen within the renal capsule.