Fig 7. Determination of fluorescence detection limits in vivo using a phantom mouse.

6.25x10⁵ to 1x10⁷ CFUs of E. coli strain E. cloni 10G were loaded into a capillary tube and inserted into the phantom mouse. The mouse was imaged at excitation and emission wavelengths ranging from 430 nm to 760 nm for each fluorescent protein tested using the IVIS spectrum (A). The scale for the number of photons detected is indicated on the right. (B). Photons detected in the regions of interest for each amount of bacteria. Measurement were performed in triplicate and data were analyzed using an unpaired two-tailed t-test and the software Prizm 6.0. (*: p<0.05; **: p<0.01; ***: p<0.001).