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Scully DM, Larina IV. Mouse embryo phenotyping with optical coherence tomography. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1000237. [PMID: 36158219 PMCID: PMC9500480 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1000237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
With the explosion of gene editing tools in recent years, there has been a much greater demand for mouse embryo phenotyping, and traditional methods such as histology and histochemistry experienced a methodological renaissance as they became the principal tools for phenotyping. However, it is important to explore alternative phenotyping options to maximize time and resources and implement volumetric structural analysis for enhanced investigation of phenotypes. Cardiovascular phenotyping, in particular, is important to perform in vivo due to the dramatic structural and functional changes that occur in heart development over relatively short periods of time. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is one of the most exciting advanced imaging techniques emerging within the field of developmental biology, and this review provides a summary of how it is currently being implemented in mouse embryo investigations and phenotyping. This review aims to provide an understanding of the approaches used in optical coherence tomography and how they can be applied in embryology and developmental biology, with the overall aim of bridging the gap between biology and technology.
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Munck S, Cawthorne C, Escamilla‐Ayala A, Kerstens A, Gabarre S, Wesencraft K, Battistella E, Craig R, Reynaud EG, Swoger J, McConnell G. Challenges and advances in optical 3D mesoscale imaging. J Microsc 2022; 286:201-219. [PMID: 35460574 PMCID: PMC9325079 DOI: 10.1111/jmi.13109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Optical mesoscale imaging is a rapidly developing field that allows the visualisation of larger samples than is possible with standard light microscopy, and fills a gap between cell and organism resolution. It spans from advanced fluorescence imaging of micrometric cell clusters to centimetre-size complete organisms. However, with larger volume specimens, new problems arise. Imaging deeper into tissues at high resolution poses challenges ranging from optical distortions to shadowing from opaque structures. This manuscript discusses the latest developments in mesoscale imaging and highlights limitations, namely labelling, clearing, absorption, scattering, and also sample handling. We then focus on approaches that seek to turn mesoscale imaging into a more quantitative technique, analogous to quantitative tomography in medical imaging, highlighting a future role for digital and physical phantoms as well as artificial intelligence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Munck
- VIB‐KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease ResearchLight Microscopy Expertise Unit & VIB BioImaging CoreLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Department of NeurosciencesLeuven Brain InstituteLeuvenBelgium
| | | | - Abril Escamilla‐Ayala
- VIB‐KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease ResearchLight Microscopy Expertise Unit & VIB BioImaging CoreLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Department of NeurosciencesLeuven Brain InstituteLeuvenBelgium
| | - Axelle Kerstens
- VIB‐KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease ResearchLight Microscopy Expertise Unit & VIB BioImaging CoreLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Department of NeurosciencesLeuven Brain InstituteLeuvenBelgium
| | - Sergio Gabarre
- VIB‐KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease ResearchLight Microscopy Expertise Unit & VIB BioImaging CoreLeuvenBelgium
- KU Leuven Department of NeurosciencesLeuven Brain InstituteLeuvenBelgium
| | | | | | - Rebecca Craig
- Department of Physics, SUPAUniversity of StrathclydeGlasgowUK
| | - Emmanuel G. Reynaud
- School of Biomolecular and Biomedical ScienceUniversity College DublinDublinBelfieldIreland
| | - Jim Swoger
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Gail McConnell
- Department of Physics, SUPAUniversity of StrathclydeGlasgowUK
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Reissig LF, Seyedian Moghaddam A, Prin F, Wilson R, Galli A, Tudor C, White JK, Geyer SH, Mohun TJ, Weninger WJ. Hypoglossal Nerve Abnormalities as Biomarkers for Central Nervous System Defects in Mouse Lines Producing Embryonically Lethal Offspring. Front Neuroanat 2021; 15:625716. [PMID: 33584208 PMCID: PMC7876247 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2021.625716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
An essential step in researching human central nervous system (CNS) disorders is the search for appropriate mouse models that can be used to investigate both genetic and environmental factors underlying the etiology of such conditions. Identification of murine models relies upon detailed pre- and post-natal phenotyping since profound defects are not only the result of gross malformations but can be the result of small or subtle morphological abnormalities. The difficulties in identifying such defects are compounded by the finding that many mouse lines show quite a variable penetrance of phenotypes. As a result, without analysis of large numbers, such phenotypes are easily missed. Indeed for null mutations, around one-third have proved to be pre- or perinatally lethal, their analysis resting entirely upon phenotyping of accessible embryonic stages.To simplify the identification of potentially useful mouse mutants, we have conducted three-dimensional phenotype analysis of approximately 500 homozygous null mutant embryos, produced from targeting a variety of mouse genes and harvested at embryonic day 14.5 as part of the "Deciphering the Mechanisms of Developmental Disorders" www.dmdd.org.uk program. We have searched for anatomical features that have the potential to serve as biomarkers for CNS defects in such genetically modified lines. Our analysis identified two promising biomarker candidates. Hypoglossal nerve (HGN) abnormalities (absent, thin, and abnormal topology) and abnormal morphology or topology of head arteries are both frequently associated with the full spectrum of morphological CNS defects, ranging from exencephaly to more subtle defects such as abnormal nerve cell migration. Statistical analysis confirmed that HGN abnormalities (especially those scored absent or thin) indeed showed a significant correlation with CNS defect phenotypes. These results demonstrate that null mutant lines showing HGN abnormalities are also highly likely to produce CNS defects whose identification may be difficult as a result of morphological subtlety or low genetic penetrance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas F. Reissig
- Department of Anatomy, MIC, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Atieh Seyedian Moghaddam
- Department of Anatomy, MIC, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Fabrice Prin
- The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Antonella Galli
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Tudor
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Jaqueline K. White
- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Stefan H. Geyer
- Department of Anatomy, MIC, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Wolfgang J. Weninger
- Department of Anatomy, MIC, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Zhao J, Lai HM, Qi Y, He D, Sun H. Current Status of Tissue Clearing and the Path Forward in Neuroscience. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:5-29. [PMID: 33326739 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the complexity and limited availability of human brain tissues, for decades, pathologists have sought to maximize information gained from individual samples, based on which (patho)physiological processes could be inferred. Recently, new understandings of chemical and physical properties of biological tissues and multiple chemical profiling have given rise to the development of scalable tissue clearing methods allowing superior optical clearing of across-the-scale samples. In the past decade, tissue clearing techniques, molecular labeling methods, advanced laser scanning microscopes, and data visualization and analysis have become commonplace. Combined, they have made 3D visualization of brain tissues with unprecedented resolution and depth widely accessible. To facilitate further advancements and applications, here we provide a critical appraisal of these techniques. We propose a classification system of current tissue clearing and expansion methods that allows users to judge the applicability of individual ones to their questions, followed by a review of the current progress in molecular labeling, optical imaging, and data processing to demonstrate the whole 3D imaging pipeline based on tissue clearing and downstream techniques for visualizing the brain. We also raise the path forward of tissue-clearing-based imaging technology, that is, integrating with state-of-the-art techniques, such as multiplexing protein imaging, in situ signal amplification, RNA detection and sequencing, super-resolution imaging techniques, multiomics studies, and deep learning, for drawing the complete atlas of the human brain and building a 3D pathology platform for central nervous system disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajia Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Hei Ming Lai
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yuwei Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Dian He
- Department of Neurosurgery, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Haitao Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, The National Key Clinical Specialty, The Engineering Technology Research Center of Education Ministry of China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory on Brain Function Repair and Regeneration, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
- Microbiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Biobank Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
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Schneidereit D, Bröllochs A, Ritter P, Kreiß L, Mokhtari Z, Beilhack A, Krönke G, Ackermann JA, Faas M, Grüneboom A, Schürmann S, Friedrich O. An advanced optical clearing protocol allows label-free detection of tissue necrosis via multiphoton microscopy in injured whole muscle. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:2876-2891. [PMID: 33456578 PMCID: PMC7806485 DOI: 10.7150/thno.51558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Structural remodeling or damage as a result of disease or injury is often not evenly distributed throughout a tissue but strongly depends on localization and extent of damaging stimuli. Skeletal muscle as a mechanically active organ can express signs of local or even systemic myopathic damage, necrosis, or repair. Conventionally, muscle biopsies (patients) or whole muscles (animal models) are mechanically sliced and stained to assess structural alterations histologically. Three-dimensional tissue information can be obtained by applying deep imaging modalities, e.g. multiphoton or light-sheet microscopy. Chemical clearing approaches reduce scattering, e.g. through matching refractive tissue indices, to overcome optical penetration depth limits in thick tissues. Methods: Here, we optimized a range of different clearing protocols. We find aqueous solution-based protocols employing (20-80%) 2,2'-thiodiethanol (TDE) to be advantageous over organic solvents (dibenzyl ether, cinnamate) regarding the preservation of muscle morphology, ease-of-use, hazard level, and costs. Results: Applying TDE clearing to a mouse model of local cardiotoxin (CTX)-induced muscle necrosis, a complete loss of myosin-II signals was observed in necrotic areas with little change in fibrous collagen or autofluorescence (AF) signals. The 3D aspect of myofiber integrity could be assessed, and muscle necrosis in whole muscle was quantified locally via the ratios of detected AF, forward- and backward-scattered Second Harmonic Generation (fSHG, bSHG) signals. Conclusion: TDE optical clearing is a versatile tool to study muscle architecture in conjunction with label-free multiphoton imaging in 3D in injury/myopathy models and might also be useful in studying larger biofabricated constructs in regenerative medicine.
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Mesoscopic 3D imaging of pancreatic cancer and Langerhans islets based on tissue autofluorescence. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18246. [PMID: 33106532 PMCID: PMC7588461 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74616-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The possibility to assess pancreatic anatomy with microscopic resolution in three dimensions (3D) would significantly add to pathological analyses of disease processes. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a bleak prognosis with over 90% of the patients dying within 5 years after diagnosis. Cure can be achieved by surgical resection, but the efficiency remains drearily low. Here we demonstrate a method that without prior immunohistochemical labelling provides insight into the 3D microenvironment and spread of PDAC and premalignant cysts in intact surgical biopsies. The method is based solely on the autofluorescent properties of the investigated tissues using optical projection tomography and/or light-sheet fluorescence microscopy. It does not interfere with subsequent histopathological analysis and may facilitate identification of tumor-free resection margins within hours. We further demonstrate how the developed approach can be used to assess individual volumes and numbers of the islets of Langerhans in unprecedently large biopsies of human pancreatic tissue, thus providing a new means by which remaining islet mass may be assessed in settings of diabetes. Generally, the method may provide a fast approach to provide new anatomical insight into pancreatic pathophysiology.
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Tian T, Li X. Applications of tissue clearing in the spinal cord. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 52:4019-4036. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ting Tian
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Biomaterials and Neural Regeneration School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Beihang University Beijing China
| | - Xiaoguang Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Biomaterials and Neural Regeneration School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering Beihang University Beijing China
- Beijing International Cooperation Bases for Science and Technology on Biomaterials and Neural Regeneration Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering Beihang University Beijing China
- Department of Neurobiology School of Basic Medical Sciences Capital Medical University Beijing China
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Marr N, Hopkinson M, Hibbert AP, Pitsillides AA, Thorpe CT. Bimodal Whole-Mount Imaging of Tendon Using Confocal Microscopy and X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography. Biol Proced Online 2020; 22:13. [PMID: 32624710 PMCID: PMC7329428 DOI: 10.1186/s12575-020-00126-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Three-dimensional imaging modalities for optically dense connective tissues such as tendons are limited and typically have a single imaging methodological endpoint. Here, we have developed a bimodal procedure utilising fluorescence-based confocal microscopy and x-ray micro-computed tomography for the imaging of adult tendons to visualise and analyse extracellular sub-structure and cellular composition in small and large animal species. Results Using fluorescent immunolabelling and optical clearing, we visualised the expression of the novel cross-species marker of tendon basement membrane, laminin-α4 in 3D throughout whole rat Achilles tendons and equine superficial digital flexor tendon 5 mm segments. This revealed a complex network of laminin-α4 within the tendon core that predominantly localises to the interfascicular matrix compartment. Furthermore, we implemented a chemical drying process capable of creating contrast densities enabling visualisation and quantification of both fascicular and interfascicular matrix volume and thickness by x-ray micro-computed tomography. We also demonstrated that both modalities can be combined using reverse clarification of fluorescently labelled tissues prior to chemical drying to enable bimodal imaging of a single sample. Conclusions Whole-mount imaging of tendon allowed us to identify the presence of an extensive network of laminin-α4 within tendon, the complexity of which cannot be appreciated using traditional 2D imaging techniques. Creating contrast for x-ray micro-computed tomography imaging of tendon using chemical drying is not only simple and rapid, but also markedly improves on previously published methods. Combining these methods provides the ability to gain spatio-temporal information and quantify tendon substructures to elucidate the relationship between morphology and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Marr
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, UK
| | - Mark Hopkinson
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, UK
| | - Andrew P Hibbert
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, UK
| | - Andrew A Pitsillides
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, UK
| | - Chavaunne T Thorpe
- Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Royal College Street, London, UK
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Wang S, Larina IV, Larin KV. Label-free optical imaging in developmental biology [Invited]. BIOMEDICAL OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 11:2017-2040. [PMID: 32341864 PMCID: PMC7173889 DOI: 10.1364/boe.381359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Application of optical imaging in developmental biology marks an exciting frontier in biomedical optics. Optical resolution and imaging depth allow for investigation of growing embryos at subcellular, cellular, and whole organism levels, while the complexity and variety of embryonic processes set multiple challenges stimulating the development of various live dynamic embryonic imaging approaches. Among other optical methods, label-free optical techniques attract an increasing interest as they allow investigation of developmental mechanisms without application of exogenous markers or fluorescent reporters. There has been a boost in development of label-free optical imaging techniques for studying embryonic development in animal models over the last decade, which revealed new information about early development and created new areas for investigation. Here, we review the recent progress in label-free optical embryonic imaging, discuss specific applications, and comment on future developments at the interface of photonics, engineering, and developmental biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shang Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, 1 Castle Point Terrace, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA
| | - Irina V. Larina
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kirill V. Larin
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, 3605 Cullen Boulevard, Houston, TX 77204, USA
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High-Resolution Episcopic Microscopy (HREM): Looking Back on 13 Years of Successful Generation of Digital Volume Data of Organic Material for 3D Visualisation and 3D Display. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/app9183826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
High-resolution episcopic microscopy (HREM) is an imaging technique that permits the simple and rapid generation of three-dimensional (3D) digital volume data of histologically embedded and physically sectioned specimens. The data can be immediately used for high-detail 3D analysis of a broad variety of organic materials with all modern methods of 3D visualisation and display. Since its first description in 2006, HREM has been adopted as a method for exploring organic specimens in many fields of science, and it has recruited a slowly but steadily growing user community. This review aims to briefly introduce the basic principles of HREM data generation and to provide an overview of scientific publications that have been published in the last 13 years involving HREM imaging. The studies to which we refer describe technical details and specimen-specific protocols, and provide examples of the successful use of HREM in biological, biomedical and medical research. Finally, the limitations, potentials and anticipated further improvements are briefly outlined.
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