Molecular confocal laser endomicroscopy: A novel technique for in vivo cellular characterization of gastrointestinal lesions

Figure 1 Molecular imaging with labelled antibodies using the confocal laser endomicroscopy system. Antibodies (blue) labelled with a fluorochrome (FITC or Alexa-Fluor 488) (green) bind to a specific target (red triangles) expressed on the plasma membrane of cells in the mucosal layer in the gastrointestinal tract (purple). The confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) scope (black and blue tube) excites the fluorochrome with a defined wavelength of 488 nm (yellow). Light is subsequently emitted and detected by the CLE scope.