1
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Perryman R, Chau TW, De-Felice J, O’Neill K, Syed N. Distinct Capabilities in NAD Metabolism Mediate Resistance to NAMPT Inhibition in Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2054. [PMID: 38893173 PMCID: PMC11171005 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16112054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) cells require high levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) to fuel metabolic reactions, regulate their cell cycle and support DNA repair in response to chemotherapy and radiation. Inhibition of a key enzyme in NAD biosynthesis, NAMPT, has demonstrated significant anti-neoplastic activity. Here, we sought to characterise NAD biosynthetic pathways in GBM to determine resistance mechanisms to NAD inhibitors. GBM cells were treated with the NAMPT inhibitor FK866 with and without NAD precursors, and were analysed by qPCR, Western blot and proliferation assays (monolayer and spheroid). We also measured changes in the cell cycle, apoptosis, NAD/NADH levels and energy production. We performed orthoptic xenograft experiments in athymic nude mice to test the efficacy of FK866 in combination with temozolomide (TMZ). We show that the expression of key genes involved in NAD biosynthesis is highly variable across GBM tumours. FK866 inhibits proliferation, reduces NAD levels and limits oxidative metabolism, leading to G2/M cell cycle arrest; however, this can be reversed by supplementation with specific NAD precursors. Furthermore, FK866 potentiates the effects of radiation and TMZ in vitro and in vivo. NAMPT inhibitors should be considered for the treatment of GBM, with patients stratified based on their expression of key enzymes in other NAD biosynthetic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Perryman
- John Fulcher Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK (K.O.)
| | | | | | | | - Nelofer Syed
- John Fulcher Neuro-Oncology Laboratory, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK (K.O.)
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2
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Pitoulis FG, Smith JJ, Pamias‐Lopez B, de Tombe PP, Hayman D, Terracciano CM. MyoLoop: Design, development and validation of a standalone bioreactor for pathophysiological electromechanical in vitro cardiac studies. Exp Physiol 2024; 109:405-415. [PMID: 37847495 PMCID: PMC10988681 DOI: 10.1113/ep091247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Mechanical load is one of the main determinants of cardiac structure and function. Mechanical load is studied in vitro using cardiac preparations together with loading protocols (e.g., auxotonic, isometric). However, such studies are often limited by reductionist models and poorly simulated mechanical load profiles. This hinders the physiological relevance of findings. Living myocardial slices have been used to study load in vitro. Living myocardial slices (LMS) are 300-μm-thick intact organotypic preparations obtained from explanted animal or human hearts. They have preserved cellular populations and the functional, structural, metabolic and molecular profile of the tissue from which they are prepared. Using a three-element Windkessel (3EWK) model we previously showed that LMSs can be cultured while performing cardiac work loops with different preload and afterload. Under such conditions, LMSs remodel as a function of the mechanical load applied to them (physiological load, pressure or volume overload). These studies were conducted in commercially available length actuators that had to be extensively modified for culture experiments. In this paper, we demonstrate the design, development and validation of a novel device, MyoLoop. MyoLoop is a bioreactor that can pace, thermoregulate, acquire and process data, and chronically load LMSs and other cardiac tissues in vitro. In MyoLoop, load is parametrised using a 3EWK model, which can be used to recreate physiological and pathological work loops and the remodelling response to these. We believe MyoLoop is the next frontier in basic cardiovascular research enabling reductionist but physiologically relevant in vitro mechanical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacob J. Smith
- National Heart & Lung InstituteImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | | | - Pieter P. de Tombe
- Department of Physiology and BiophysicsUniversity of Illinois at ChicagoChicagoIllinoisUSA
- Laboratoire “Physiologie Et Médecine Expérimentale du Coeur Et Des Muscles,” PhymedexpINSERM, CNRSMontpellier University, CHU Arnaud de Villeneuve
MontpellierFrance
| | - Danika Hayman
- National Heart & Lung InstituteImperial College LondonLondonUK
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3
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Dileep D, Syed TA, Sloan TFW, Dhandapany PS, Siddiqi K, Sirajuddin M. Cardiomyocyte orientation recovery at micrometer scale reveals long-axis fiber continuum in heart walls. EMBO J 2023; 42:e113288. [PMID: 37671467 PMCID: PMC10548172 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022113288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Coordinated cardiomyocyte contraction drives the mammalian heart to beat and circulate blood. No consensus model of cardiomyocyte geometrical arrangement exists, due to the limited spatial resolution of whole heart imaging methods and the piecemeal nature of studies based on histological sections. By combining microscopy and computer vision, we produced the first-ever three-dimensional cardiomyocyte orientation reconstruction across mouse ventricular walls at the micrometer scale, representing a gain of three orders of magnitude in spatial resolution. We recovered a cardiomyocyte arrangement aligned to the long-axis direction of the outer ventricular walls. This cellular network lies in a thin shell and forms a continuum with longitudinally arranged cardiomyocytes in the inner walls, with a complex geometry at the apex. Our reconstruction methods can be applied at fine spatial scales to further understanding of heart wall electrical function and mechanics, and set the stage for the study of micron-scale fiber remodeling in heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drisya Dileep
- Centre for Cardiovascular Biology and DiseaseInstitute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative MedicineBengaluruIndia
- The University of Trans‐Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU)BengaluruIndia
| | - Tabish A Syed
- School of Computer Science and Centre for Intelligent MachinesMcGill University, and MILA – Québec AI InstituteMontréalQCCanada
| | | | - Perundurai S Dhandapany
- Centre for Cardiovascular Biology and DiseaseInstitute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative MedicineBengaluruIndia
| | - Kaleem Siddiqi
- School of Computer Science and Centre for Intelligent MachinesMcGill University, and MILA – Québec AI InstituteMontréalQCCanada
| | - Minhajuddin Sirajuddin
- Centre for Cardiovascular Biology and DiseaseInstitute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative MedicineBengaluruIndia
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4
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Bai L, Wu Y, Dai W, Zhang J, Zheng L, Cheng J. A simple and effective vascular network labeling method for transparent tissues of mice. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2023:e202300042. [PMID: 37017248 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.202300042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Vascular network labeling in transparent tissues provides more complete information on blood vessels. To achieve a fast and efficient method for vascular network labeling in transparent tissues, we compared various vascular labeling methods under different tissue clearing protocols. FITC-Dextran labeling and CUBIC cleaning treatment were found to be the best options for vascular network labeling in cleared mouse tissues. Satisfactory labeling of vascular networks in various organs can be achieved by selecting FITC-Dextran with different molecular weights and different administration methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Bai
- Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, NHFPC, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Core Facility of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yaping Wu
- Core Facility of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wenshu Dai
- Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, NHFPC, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, NHFPC, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Core Facility of West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lily Zheng
- TCM Regulating Metabolic Diseases Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jingqiu Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, NHFPC, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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5
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Visualization of Organ-Specific Lymphatic Growth: An Efficient Approach to Labeling Molecular Markers in Cleared Tissues. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065075. [PMID: 36982150 PMCID: PMC10048960 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Organ-specific lymphatics are essential for the maintenance of healthy organ function and lymphatic dysfunction can lead to the development of various diseases. However, the precise role of those lymphatic structures remains unknown, mainly due to inefficient visualization techniques. Here, we present an efficient approach to visualizing organ-specific lymphatic growth. We used a modified CUBIC protocol to clear mouse organs and combined it with whole-mount immunostaining to visualize lymphatic structures. We acquired images using upright, stereo and confocal microscopy and quantified them with AngioTool, a tool for the quantification of vascular networks. Using our approach, we then characterized the organ-specific lymphatic vasculature of the Flt4kd/+ mouse model, showing symptoms of lymphatic dysfunction. Our approach enabled us to visualize the lymphatic vasculature of organs and to analyze and quantify structural changes. We detected morphologically altered lymphatic vessels in all investigated organs of Flt4kd/+ mice, including the lungs, small intestine, heart and uterus, but no lymphatic structures in the skin. Quantifications showed that these mice have fewer and dilated lymphatic vessels in the small intestine and the lungs. Our results demonstrate that our approach can be used to investigate the importance of organ-specific lymphatics under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions.
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6
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Dominguez MH, Krup AL, Muncie JM, Bruneau BG. Graded mesoderm assembly governs cell fate and morphogenesis of the early mammalian heart. Cell 2023; 186:479-496.e23. [PMID: 36736300 PMCID: PMC10091855 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Using four-dimensional whole-embryo light sheet imaging with improved and accessible computational tools, we longitudinally reconstruct early murine cardiac development at single-cell resolution. Nascent mesoderm progenitors form opposing density and motility gradients, converting the temporal birth sequence of gastrulation into a spatial anterolateral-to-posteromedial arrangement. Migrating precardiac mesoderm does not strictly preserve cellular neighbor relationships, and spatial patterns only become solidified as the cardiac crescent emerges. Progenitors undergo a mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition, with a first heart field (FHF) ridge apposing a motile juxta-cardiac field (JCF). Anchored along the ridge, the FHF epithelium rotates the JCF forward to form the initial heart tube, along with push-pull morphodynamics of the second heart field. In Mesp1 mutants that fail to make a cardiac crescent, mesoderm remains highly motile but directionally incoherent, resulting in density gradient inversion. Our practicable live embryo imaging approach defines spatial origins and behaviors of cardiac progenitors and identifies their unanticipated morphological transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin H Dominguez
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Cardiovascular Institute, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Alexis Leigh Krup
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA; Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Benoit G Bruneau
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA; Roddenberry Center for Stem Cell Biology and Medicine at Gladstone, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Institute for Human Genetics, and Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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7
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Zhan YJ, Zhang SW, Zhu S, Jiang N. Tissue Clearing and Its Application in the Musculoskeletal System. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:1739-1758. [PMID: 36687066 PMCID: PMC9850472 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c05180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The musculoskeletal system is an integral part of the human body. Currently, most skeletal muscle research is conducted through conventional histological sections due to technological limitations and the structure of skeletal muscles. For studying and observing bones and muscles, there is an urgent need for three-dimensional, objective imaging technologies. Optical tissue-clearing technologies seem to offer a novel and accessible approach to research of the musculoskeletal system. Using this approach, the components which cause refraction or prevent light from penetrating into the tissue are physically and chemically eliminated; then the liquid in the tissue is replaced with high-refractive-index chemicals. This innovative method, which allows three-dimensional reconstruction at the cellular and subcellular scale, significantly improves imaging depth and resolution. Nonetheless, this technology was not originally developed to image bones or muscles. When compared with brain and nerve organs which have attracted considerable attention in this field, the musculoskeletal system contains fewer lipids and has high levels of hemoglobin, collagen fibers, and inorganic hydroxyapatite crystals. Currently, three-dimensional imaging methods are widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of skeletal and muscular illnesses. In this regard, it is vitally important to review and evaluate the optical tissue-clearing technologies currently employed in the musculoskeletal system, so that researchers may make an informed decision. In the meantime, this study offers guidelines and recommendations for expanding the use of this technology in the musculoskeletal system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Jing Zhan
- State
Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center
for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Shi-Wen Zhang
- State
Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center
for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- West
China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - SongSong Zhu
- State
Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center
for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- West
China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Nan Jiang
- State
Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center
for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- West
China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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8
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MAX: a simple, affordable, and rapid tissue clearing reagent for 3D imaging of wide variety of biological specimens. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19508. [PMID: 36376344 PMCID: PMC9663452 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23376-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Transparency of biological specimens is crucial to obtaining detailed 3-dimensional images and understanding the structure and function of biological specimens. This transparency or tissue clearing can be achieved by adjusting the refractive index (RI) with embedding media and removing light barriers such as lipids, inorganic deposits, and pigments. Many currently available protocols consist of multiple steps to achieve sufficient transparency, making the process complex and time-consuming. Thus, in this study, we tailored the recipe for RI adjustment media named MAX based on the recently reported MACS protocol to achieve a single-step procedure, especially for ECM-rich tissues. This was achieved by the improvement of the tissue penetrability of the RI-matching reagent by combining MXDA with sucrose or iodixanol. While this was sufficient for the 3D imaging in many applications, MAX can also be combined with modular processes for de-lipidation, de-coloration, and de-calcification to further maximize the transparency depending on the special features of the tissues. Our approach provides an easy alternative for tissue clearing and 3D imaging.
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9
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Mai H, Rong Z, Zhao S, Cai R, Steinke H, Bechmann I, Ertürk A. Scalable tissue labeling and clearing of intact human organs. Nat Protoc 2022; 17:2188-2215. [PMID: 35859136 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-022-00712-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Advances in tissue labeling and clearing methods include improvement of tissue transparency, better preservation of fluorescence signal, compatibility with immunostaining and large sample volumes. However, as existing methods share the common limitation that they can only be applied to human tissue slices, rendering intact human organs transparent remains a challenge. Here, we describe experimental details of the small-micelle-mediated human organ efficient clearing and labeling (SHANEL) pipeline, which can be applied for cellular mapping of intact human organs. We have successfully cleared multiple human organs, including kidney, pancreas, heart, lung, spleen and brain, as well as hard tissue like skull. We also describe an advanced volumetric imaging system using a commercial light-sheet fluorescence microscope that can accommodate most human organs and a pipeline for whole-organ imaging and visualization. The complete experimental process of labeling and clearing whole human organs takes months and the analysis process takes several weeks, depending on the organ types and sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongcheng Mai
- Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (iTERM), Helmholtz Center, Neuherberg, Munich, Germany.,Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Munich Medical Research School (MMRS), Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Zhouyi Rong
- Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (iTERM), Helmholtz Center, Neuherberg, Munich, Germany.,Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Munich Medical Research School (MMRS), Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Shan Zhao
- Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (iTERM), Helmholtz Center, Neuherberg, Munich, Germany.,Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Munich Medical Research School (MMRS), Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ruiyao Cai
- Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (iTERM), Helmholtz Center, Neuherberg, Munich, Germany.,Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Hanno Steinke
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ingo Bechmann
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ali Ertürk
- Institute for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (iTERM), Helmholtz Center, Neuherberg, Munich, Germany. .,Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany. .,Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany.
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10
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García-Mendívil L, Pérez-Zabalza M, Mountris K, Duwé S, Smisdom N, Pérez M, Luján L, Wolfs E, Driesen RB, Vallejo-Gil JM, Fresneda-Roldán PC, Fañanás-Mastral J, Vázquez-Sancho M, Matamala-Adell M, Sorribas-Berjón JF, Bellido-Morales JA, Mancebón-Sierra FJ, Vaca-Núñez AS, Ballester-Cuenca C, Oliván-Viguera A, Diez E, Ordovás L, Pueyo E. Analysis of age-related left ventricular collagen remodeling in living donors: Implications in arrhythmogenesis. iScience 2022; 25:103822. [PMID: 35198884 PMCID: PMC8850748 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related fibrosis in the left ventricle (LV) has been mainly studied in animals by assessing collagen content. Using second-harmonic generation microscopy and image processing, we evaluated amount, aggregation and spatial distribution of LV collagen in young to old pigs, and middle-age and elder living donors. All collagen features increased when comparing adult and old pigs with young ones, but not when comparing adult with old pigs or middle-age with elder individuals. Remarkably, all collagen parameters strongly correlated with lipofuscin, a biological age marker, in humans. By building patient-specific models of human ventricular tissue electrophysiology, we confirmed that amount and organization of fibrosis modulated arrhythmia vulnerability, and that distribution should be accounted for arrhythmia risk assessment. In conclusion, we characterize the age-associated changes in LV collagen and its potential implications for ventricular arrhythmia development. Consistency between pig and human results substantiate the pig as a relevant model of age-related LV collagen dynamics. Collagen remodeling traits change from youth to adulthood, not from midlife onwards In humans, collagen remodeling traits relate with the biological age-pigment lipofuscin Beyond collagen amount, its distribution also influences ventricular arrhythmogenesis Consistent age-related remodeling was observed amid healthy farm pigs and living donors
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura García-Mendívil
- Biomedical Signal Interpretation and Computational Simulation Group (BSICoS), Aragón Institute of Engineering Research, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain.,BSICoS, IIS Aragón, Zaragoza 50018, Spain
| | - María Pérez-Zabalza
- Biomedical Signal Interpretation and Computational Simulation Group (BSICoS), Aragón Institute of Engineering Research, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain.,BSICoS, IIS Aragón, Zaragoza 50018, Spain
| | - Konstantinos Mountris
- Biomedical Signal Interpretation and Computational Simulation Group (BSICoS), Aragón Institute of Engineering Research, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain.,BSICoS, IIS Aragón, Zaragoza 50018, Spain
| | - Sam Duwé
- Advanced Optical Microscopy Centre, Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek 3500, Belgium
| | - Nick Smisdom
- Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek 3500, Belgium
| | - Marta Pérez
- Department of Anatomy, Embryology and Animal Genetics, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50013, Spain.,Instituto Universitario de Investigación Mixto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50013, Spain
| | - Lluís Luján
- Instituto Universitario de Investigación Mixto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50013, Spain.,Department of Animal Pathology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50013, Spain
| | - Esther Wolfs
- Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek 3500, Belgium
| | - Ronald B Driesen
- Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek 3500, Belgium
| | - José María Vallejo-Gil
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | | | - Javier Fañanás-Mastral
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | - Manuel Vázquez-Sancho
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | - Marta Matamala-Adell
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Carlos Ballester-Cuenca
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza 50009, Spain
| | - Aida Oliván-Viguera
- Biomedical Signal Interpretation and Computational Simulation Group (BSICoS), Aragón Institute of Engineering Research, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain.,BSICoS, IIS Aragón, Zaragoza 50018, Spain.,Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Zaragoza 50018, Spain
| | - Emiliano Diez
- Institute of Experimental Medicine and Biology of Cuyo (IMBECU), CONICET, Mendoza 5500, Argentina
| | - Laura Ordovás
- Biomedical Signal Interpretation and Computational Simulation Group (BSICoS), Aragón Institute of Engineering Research, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain.,BSICoS, IIS Aragón, Zaragoza 50018, Spain.,ARAID Foundation, Zaragoza 50018, Spain
| | - Esther Pueyo
- Biomedical Signal Interpretation and Computational Simulation Group (BSICoS), Aragón Institute of Engineering Research, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50018, Spain.,BSICoS, IIS Aragón, Zaragoza 50018, Spain.,Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Zaragoza 50018, Spain
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11
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Sun Q, Tiziana P, Khan AUM, Heuveline V, Gretz N. A simple optical tissue clearing pipeline for 3D vasculature imaging of the mediastinal organs in mice. Int J Exp Pathol 2021; 102:218-227. [PMID: 34613652 DOI: 10.1111/iep.12399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Optical tissue clearing (OTC) methods render tissue transparent by matching the refractive index within a sample to enable three-dimensional (3D) imaging with advanced microscopes. The application of OTC method in mediastinal organs in mice remains poorly understand. Our aim was to establish a simple protocol pipeline for 3D imaging of the mediastinal organs in mice. Trachea, oesophagus, thymus and heart were harvested from mice after retrograde perfusion via the abdominal aorta. We combined and optimized antibody labelling of thick tissue samples, OTC with cheap and non-toxic solvent ethyl cinnamate (ECi), and light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) or laser confocal fluorescence microscopy (LCFM) to visualize the vasculature of those tissues. A high degree of optical transparency of trachea, oesophagus, thymus and heart was achieved after ECi-based OTC. With anti-CD31 antibody immunofluorescence labelling before ECi-based OTC, the vasculature of these tissues with their natural morphology, location and organizational network was imaged using LSFM or LCFM. This simple protocol pipeline provides an easy-to-setup and comprehensive way to study the vasculature of mediastinal organs in 3D without any special equipment. We anticipate that it will facilitate diverse applications in biomedical research of thoracic diseases and even other organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanchao Sun
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tongji Medical College, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,Medical Research Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.,Institute for Medical Technology, University of Heidelberg and University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Picascia Tiziana
- Medical Research Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.,Institute for Medical Technology, University of Heidelberg and University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Arif Ul Maula Khan
- Medical Research Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.,Institute for Medical Technology, University of Heidelberg and University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Vincent Heuveline
- Director of the Computing Centre, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Norbert Gretz
- Medical Research Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.,Institute for Medical Technology, University of Heidelberg and University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany
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12
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Kolesová H, Olejníčková V, Kvasilová A, Gregorovičová M, Sedmera D. Tissue clearing and imaging methods for cardiovascular development. iScience 2021; 24:102387. [PMID: 33981974 PMCID: PMC8086021 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue imaging in 3D using visible light is limited and various clearing techniques were developed to increase imaging depth, but none provides universal solution for all tissues at all developmental stages. In this review, we focus on different tissue clearing methods for 3D imaging of heart and vasculature, based on chemical composition (solvent-based, simple immersion, hyperhydration, and hydrogel embedding techniques). We discuss in detail compatibility of various tissue clearing techniques with visualization methods: fluorescence preservation, immunohistochemistry, nuclear staining, and fluorescent dyes vascular perfusion. We also discuss myocardium visualization using autofluorescence, tissue shrinking, and expansion. Then we overview imaging methods used to study cardiovascular system and live imaging. We discuss heart and vessels segmentation methods and image analysis. The review covers the whole process of cardiovascular system 3D imaging, starting from tissue clearing and its compatibility with various visualization methods to the types of imaging methods and resulting image analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana Kolesová
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Olejníčková
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Kvasilová
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Gregorovičová
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - David Sedmera
- Institute of Anatomy, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Physiology, Czech Academy of Science, Prague, Czech Republic
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Nowzari F, Wang H, Khoradmehr A, Baghban M, Baghban N, Arandian A, Muhaddesi M, Nabipour I, Zibaii MI, Najarasl M, Taheri P, Latifi H, Tamadon A. Three-Dimensional Imaging in Stem Cell-Based Researches. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:657525. [PMID: 33937378 PMCID: PMC8079735 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.657525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Stem cells have an important role in regenerative therapies, developmental biology studies and drug screening. Basic and translational research in stem cell technology needs more detailed imaging techniques. The possibility of cell-based therapeutic strategies has been validated in the stem cell field over recent years, a more detailed characterization of the properties of stem cells is needed for connectomics of large assemblies and structural analyses of these cells. The aim of stem cell imaging is the characterization of differentiation state, cellular function, purity and cell location. Recent progress in stem cell imaging field has included ultrasound-based technique to study living stem cells and florescence microscopy-based technique to investigate stem cell three-dimensional (3D) structures. Here, we summarized the fundamental characteristics of stem cells via 3D imaging methods and also discussed the emerging literatures on 3D imaging in stem cell research and the applications of both classical 2D imaging techniques and 3D methods on stem cells biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fariborz Nowzari
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Huimei Wang
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Arezoo Khoradmehr
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Mandana Baghban
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Neda Baghban
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Alireza Arandian
- Laser and Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdi Muhaddesi
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Iraj Nabipour
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Mohammad I. Zibaii
- Laser and Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mostafa Najarasl
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
| | - Payam Taheri
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Latifi
- Laser and Plasma Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Physics, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amin Tamadon
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
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14
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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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15
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Rapid immunostaining method for three-dimensional volume imaging of biological tissues by magnetic force-induced focusing of the electric field. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 226:297-309. [PMID: 33175320 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02160-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent surges in tissue clearing technology have greatly advanced 3-dimensional (3D) volume imaging. Cleared tissues need to be stained with fluorescence probes for imaging but the current staining methods are too laborious and inefficient for thick 3D samples, which impedes the broad application of clearing technology. To overcome these limitations, we developed an advanced staining platform named EFIC in which a magnetic force focuses the electric field by bending it onto the sample. Such that EFIC applies a significantly lower electric field to maintain nanoscale structural integrity while effectively drives staining probes into pre-cleared 3D samples. We found that EFIC achieved a rapid and uniform staining of various proteins and vascular networks of the brain as well as other organs over the entire depth of imaging. EFIC stained tau deposits and the vascular structure in the post-mortem human brain of Alzheimer's disease and intracerebral hemorrhage, respectively, enabling quantitative analysis. The effectiveness of EFIC was further extended by the successful staining of various targets in non-cleared 3D brain samples. Together, EFIC represents a versatile and reliable staining platform for rapidly analyzing 3D molecular signatures and can be applied to sectioning-free 3D histopathology for diagnostic purposes.
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16
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Tuchina DK, Meerovich IG, Sindeeva OA, Zherdeva VV, Savitsky AP, Bogdanov AA, Tuchin VV. Magnetic resonance contrast agents in optical clearing: Prospects for multimodal tissue imaging. JOURNAL OF BIOPHOTONICS 2020; 13:e201960249. [PMID: 32687263 DOI: 10.1002/jbio.201960249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Skin optical clearing effect ex vivo and in vivo was achieved by topical application of low molecular weight paramagnetic magnetic resonance contrast agents. This novel feature has not been explored before. By using collimated transmittance the diffusion coefficients of three clinically used magnetic resonance contrast agents, that is Gadovist, Magnevist and Dotarem as well as X-ray contrast agent Visipaque in mouse skin were determined ex vivo as (4.29 ± 0.39) × 10-7 cm2 /s, (5.00 ± 0.72) × 10-7 cm2 /s, (3.72 ± 0.67) × 10-7 cm2 /s and (1.64 ± 0.18) × 10-7 cm2 /s, respectively. The application of gadobutrol (Gadovist) resulted in efficient optical clearing that in general, was superior to other contrast agents tested and allowed to achieve: (a) more than 12-fold increase of transmittance over 10 minutes after application ex vivo; (b) markedly improved images of skin architecture obtained with optical coherence tomography; (c) an increase of the fluorescence intensity/background ratio in TagRFP-red fluorescent marker protein expressing tumor by five times after 15 minutes application into the skin in vivo. The obtained results have immediate implications for multimodality imaging because many contrast agents are capable of simultaneously enhancing the contrast of multiple imaging modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria K Tuchina
- Saratov State University, Saratov, Russia
- Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
- А.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina G Meerovich
- А.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Victoria V Zherdeva
- А.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander P Savitsky
- А.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexei A Bogdanov
- А.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Valery V Tuchin
- Saratov State University, Saratov, Russia
- Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
- А.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Precision Mechanics and Control of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Saratov, Russia
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17
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Genina EA, Surkov YI, Serebryakova IA, Bashkatov AN, Tuchin VV, Zharov VP. Rapid Ultrasound Optical Clearing of Human Light and Dark Skin. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MEDICAL IMAGING 2020; 39:3198-3206. [PMID: 32310764 DOI: 10.1109/tmi.2020.2989079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Application of optical clearing of biological tissue in humans in vivo is challenging due to toxicity of chemical agents, long processing time (≥30 min), and moderate (1.3-1.5-fold) imaging depth improvement. Here, we introduce novel, robust, and rapid ultrasound-based optical clearing of human skin without chemical agents that provides dramatic (up to 10-fold) reducing processing time down to 2-5 min. We discovered that ultrasound alone can increase a light depth penetration for optical coherence tomography (OCT) up to ~1.5-fold during 2 min. Nevertheless, sequent application of microdermabrasion, oleic acid and ultrasound allowed increasing OCT signal amplitude up to 3.3-fold with more than twice improved depth penetration during 30 min that was not demonstrated with other approaches. Comparison of these effects in light and dark skin revealed similarity of the optical clearing mechanisms. However, for combined optical clearing, only 1.34-fold increase in OCT signal amplitude was achieved for dark skin.
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18
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Watson SA, Dendorfer A, Thum T, Perbellini F. A practical guide for investigating cardiac physiology using living myocardial slices. Basic Res Cardiol 2020; 115:61. [PMID: 32914360 PMCID: PMC7496048 DOI: 10.1007/s00395-020-00822-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Ex vivo multicellular preparations are essential tools to study tissue physiology. Among them, the recent methodological and technological developments in living myocardial slices (LMS) are attracting increasing interest by the cardiac research field. Despite this, this research model remains poorly perceived and utilized by most research laboratories. Here, we provide a practical guide on how to use LMS to interrogate multiple aspects of cardiac function, structure and biochemistry. We discuss issues that should be considered to conduct successful experiments, including experimental design, sample preparation, data collection and analysis. We describe how laboratory setups can be adapted to accommodate and interrogate this multicellular research model. These adaptations can often be achieved at a reasonable cost with off-the-shelf components and operated reliably using well-established protocols and freely available software, which is essential to broaden the utilization of this method. We will also highlight how current measurements can be improved to further enhance data quality and reliability to ensure inter-laboratory reproducibility. Finally, we summarize the most promising biomedical applications and envision how living myocardial slices can lead to further breakthroughs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - A Dendorfer
- Walter-Brendel-Centre of Experimental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - T Thum
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany. .,National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - F Perbellini
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.
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19
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Gómez-Gaviro MV, Sanderson D, Ripoll J, Desco M. Biomedical Applications of Tissue Clearing and Three-Dimensional Imaging in Health and Disease. iScience 2020; 23:101432. [PMID: 32805648 PMCID: PMC7452225 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) optical imaging techniques can expand our knowledge about physiological and pathological processes that cannot be fully understood with 2D approaches. Standard diagnostic tests frequently are not sufficient to unequivocally determine the presence of a pathological condition. Whole-organ optical imaging requires tissue transparency, which can be achieved by using tissue clearing procedures enabling deeper image acquisition and therefore making possible the analysis of large-scale biological tissue samples. Here, we review currently available clearing agents, methods, and their application in imaging of physiological or pathological conditions in different animal and human organs. We also compare different optical tissue clearing methods discussing their advantages and disadvantages and review the use of different 3D imaging techniques for the visualization and image acquisition of cleared tissues. The use of optical tissue clearing resources for large-scale biological tissues 3D imaging paves the way for future applications in translational and clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Victoria Gómez-Gaviro
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Daniel Sanderson
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Ripoll
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Desco
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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20
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Di Bona A, Vita V, Costantini I, Zaglia T. Towards a clearer view of sympathetic innervation of cardiac and skeletal muscles. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 154:80-93. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2019.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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21
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Pitoulis FG, Watson SA, Perbellini F, Terracciano CM. Myocardial slices come to age: an intermediate complexity in vitro cardiac model for translational research. Cardiovasc Res 2020; 116:1275-1287. [PMID: 31868875 PMCID: PMC7243278 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvz341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Although past decades have witnessed significant reductions in mortality of heart failure together with advances in our understanding of its cellular, molecular, and whole-heart features, a lot of basic cardiac research still fails to translate into clinical practice. In this review we examine myocardial slices, a novel model in the translational arena. Myocardial slices are living ultra-thin sections of heart tissue. Slices maintain the myocardium's native function (contractility, electrophysiology) and structure (multicellularity, extracellular matrix) and can be prepared from animal and human tissue. The discussion begins with the history and current advances in the model, the different interlaboratory methods of preparation and their potential impact on results. We then contextualize slices' advantages and limitations by comparing it with other cardiac models. Recently, sophisticated methods have enabled slices to be cultured chronically in vitro while preserving the functional and structural phenotype. This is more timely now than ever where chronic physiologically relevant in vitro platforms for assessment of therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. We interrogate the technological developments that have permitted this, their limitations, and future directions. Finally, we look into the general obstacles faced by the translational field, and how implementation of research systems utilizing slices could help in resolving these.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fotios G Pitoulis
- Laboratory of Cell Electrophysiology, Department of Myocardial Function, Imperial College London, National Heart and Lung Institute, 4th Floor ICTEM Building Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Samuel A Watson
- Laboratory of Cell Electrophysiology, Department of Myocardial Function, Imperial College London, National Heart and Lung Institute, 4th Floor ICTEM Building Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Filippo Perbellini
- Laboratory of Cell Electrophysiology, Department of Myocardial Function, Imperial College London, National Heart and Lung Institute, 4th Floor ICTEM Building Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies, Hannover, Germany
| | - Cesare M Terracciano
- Laboratory of Cell Electrophysiology, Department of Myocardial Function, Imperial College London, National Heart and Lung Institute, 4th Floor ICTEM Building Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
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22
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Ueda HR, Dodt HU, Osten P, Economo MN, Chandrashekar J, Keller PJ. Whole-Brain Profiling of Cells and Circuits in Mammals by Tissue Clearing and Light-Sheet Microscopy. Neuron 2020; 106:369-387. [PMID: 32380050 PMCID: PMC7213014 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2020.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Tissue clearing and light-sheet microscopy have a 100-year-plus history, yet these fields have been combined only recently to facilitate novel experiments and measurements in neuroscience. Since tissue-clearing methods were first combined with modernized light-sheet microscopy a decade ago, the performance of both technologies has rapidly improved, broadening their applications. Here, we review the state of the art of tissue-clearing methods and light-sheet microscopy and discuss applications of these techniques in profiling cells and circuits in mice. We examine outstanding challenges and future opportunities for expanding these techniques to achieve brain-wide profiling of cells and circuits in primates and humans. Such integration will help provide a systems-level understanding of the physiology and pathology of our central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki R Ueda
- Department of Systems Pharmacology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; Laboratory for Synthetic Biology, RIKEN BDR, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Hans-Ulrich Dodt
- Department of Bioelectronics, FKE, Vienna University of Technology-TU Wien, Vienna, Austria; Section of Bioelectronics, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Pavel Osten
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Michael N Economo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Philipp J Keller
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
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23
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Watson SA, Terracciano CM, Perbellini F. Myocardial Slices: an Intermediate Complexity Platform for Translational Cardiovascular Research. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 2020; 33:239-244. [PMID: 30671746 PMCID: PMC6509068 DOI: 10.1007/s10557-019-06853-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Myocardial slices, also known as “cardiac tissue slices” or “organotypic heart slices,” are ultrathin (100–400 μm) slices of living adult ventricular myocardium prepared using a high-precision vibratome. They are a model of intermediate complexity as they retain the native multicellularity, architecture, and physiology of the heart, while their thinness ensures adequate oxygen and metabolic substrate diffusion in vitro. Myocardial slices can be produced from a variety of animal models and human biopsies, thus providing a representative human in vitro platform for translational cardiovascular research. In this review, we compare myocardial slices to other in vitro models and highlight some of the unique advantages provided by this platform. Additionally, we discuss the work performed in our laboratory to optimize myocardial slice preparation methodology, which resulted in highly viable myocardial slices from both large and small mammalian hearts with only 2–3% cardiomyocyte damage and preserved structure and function. Applications of myocardial slices span both basic and translational cardiovascular science. Our laboratory has utilized myocardial slices for the investigation of cardiac multicellularity, visualizing 3D collagen distribution and micro/macrovascular networks using tissue clearing protocols and investigating the effects of novel conductive biomaterials on cardiac physiology. Myocardial slices have been widely used for pharmacological testing. Finally, the current challenges and future directions for the technology are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel A Watson
- National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
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24
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Ueda HR, Ertürk A, Chung K, Gradinaru V, Chédotal A, Tomancak P, Keller PJ. Tissue clearing and its applications in neuroscience. Nat Rev Neurosci 2020; 21:61-79. [PMID: 31896771 PMCID: PMC8121164 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-019-0250-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 300] [Impact Index Per Article: 75.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
State-of-the-art tissue-clearing methods provide subcellular-level optical access to intact tissues from individual organs and even to some entire mammals. When combined with light-sheet microscopy and automated approaches to image analysis, existing tissue-clearing methods can speed up and may reduce the cost of conventional histology by several orders of magnitude. In addition, tissue-clearing chemistry allows whole-organ antibody labelling, which can be applied even to thick human tissues. By combining the most powerful labelling, clearing, imaging and data-analysis tools, scientists are extracting structural and functional cellular and subcellular information on complex mammalian bodies and large human specimens at an accelerated pace. The rapid generation of terabyte-scale imaging data furthermore creates a high demand for efficient computational approaches that tackle challenges in large-scale data analysis and management. In this Review, we discuss how tissue-clearing methods could provide an unbiased, system-level view of mammalian bodies and human specimens and discuss future opportunities for the use of these methods in human neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki R Ueda
- Department of Systems Pharmacology, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- Laboratory for Synthetic Biology, RIKEN BDR, Suita, Japan.
| | - Ali Ertürk
- Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research, Klinikum der Universität München, Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
- Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy), Munich, Germany
| | - Kwanghun Chung
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Eli & Edythe Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for NanoMedicine, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Graduate Program of Nano Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei-IBS Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Viviana Gradinaru
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Alain Chédotal
- Institut de la Vision, Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Paris, France
| | - Pavel Tomancak
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
- IT4Innovations, Technical University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Philipp J Keller
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA, USA
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25
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Matsumoto K, Mitani TT, Horiguchi SA, Kaneshiro J, Murakami TC, Mano T, Fujishima H, Konno A, Watanabe TM, Hirai H, Ueda HR. Advanced CUBIC tissue clearing for whole-organ cell profiling. Nat Protoc 2019; 14:3506-3537. [DOI: 10.1038/s41596-019-0240-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Choi J, Lee E, Kim JH, Sun W. FxClear, A Free-hydrogel Electrophoretic Tissue Clearing Method for Rapid De-lipidation of Tissues with High Preservation of Immunoreactivity. Exp Neurobiol 2019; 28:436-445. [PMID: 31308802 PMCID: PMC6614074 DOI: 10.5607/en.2019.28.3.436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last two decades, several tissue clearing methodologies have been established that render tissues optically transparent and allow imaging of unsectioned tissues of significant volumes, thus improving the capacity to study the relationships between cell and 3D tissue architecture. Despite these technical advances, the important unsolved challenges that these methods face include complexity, time, consistency of tissue size before and after clearing, and ability to immunolabel various antibodies in cleared tissue. Here, we established very simple and fast tissue clearing protocol, FxClear, which involves acrylamide-free electrophoretic tissue clearing (ETC). By removal of the acrylamide infusion step, we were able to achieve fast reaction time, smaller tissue expansion, and higher immunoreactivity. Especially, immunoreactivity and fluorescence intensity were increased in FxClear-processed tissues compared to un-cleared tissues. Our protocol may be suitable for small-sized biopsy samples for 3D pathological examinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jungyoon Choi
- Department of Anatomy and Division of Brain Korea 21 Plus Program for Biomedical Science, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - Eunsoo Lee
- Department of Anatomy and Division of Brain Korea 21 Plus Program for Biomedical Science, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - June Hoan Kim
- Department of Anatomy and Division of Brain Korea 21 Plus Program for Biomedical Science, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 02841, Korea
| | - Woong Sun
- Department of Anatomy and Division of Brain Korea 21 Plus Program for Biomedical Science, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 02841, Korea
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Wang H, Khoradmehr A, Tamadon A. FACT or PACT: A Comparison between Free-Acrylamide and Acrylamide-Based Passive Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Tissue Clearing for whole Tissue Imaging. CELL JOURNAL 2019; 21:103-114. [PMID: 30825283 PMCID: PMC6397597 DOI: 10.22074/cellj.2019.5989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Major biological processes rely on the spatial organization of cells in complex, highly orchestrated three-dimensional (3D)
tissues. Until the recent decade, most of information on spatial neural representation primarily came from microscopic imaging
of “2D” (5-50 μm) tissue using traditional immunohistochemical techniques. However, serially sectioned and imaged tissue
sections for tissue visualization can lead to unique non-linear deformations, which dramatically hinders scientists’ insight into
the structural organization of intact organs. An emerging technique known as CLARITY renders large-scale biological tissues
transparent for 3D phenotype mapping and thereby, greatly facilitates structure-function relationships analyses. Since then,
numerous modifications and improvements have been reported to push the boundaries of knowledge on tissue clearing
techniques in research on assembled biological systems. This review aims to outline our current knowledge on next-generation
protocols of fast free-of-acrylamide clearing tissue (FACT) and passive CLARITY (PACT). The most important question is what
method we should select for tissue clearing, FACT or PACT. This review also highlights how FACT differs from PACT on
spanning multiple dimensions of the workflow. We systematically compared a number of factors including hydrogel formation,
clearing solution, and clearing temperatures between free-acrylamide and acrylamide-based passive sodium dodecyl sulfate
(SDS) tissue clearing and discussed negative effects of polyacrylamide on clearing, staining, and imaging in detail. Such
information may help to gain a perspective for interrogating neural circuits spatial interactions between molecules and cells
and provide guidance for developing novel tissue clearing strategies to probe deeply into intact organ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimei Wang
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fudan Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Arezoo Khoradmehr
- Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Amin Tamadon
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran. Electronic Address:
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Huang J, Brenna C, Khan AUM, Daniele C, Rudolf R, Heuveline V, Gretz N. A cationic near infrared fluorescent agent and ethyl-cinnamate tissue clearing protocol for vascular staining and imaging. Sci Rep 2019; 9:521. [PMID: 30679514 PMCID: PMC6345820 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36741-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding vascular structures and dysfunction is a fundamental challenge. This task has been approached by using traditional methodologies such as microscopic computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Both techniques are not only expensive but also time-consuming. Here, we present a new method for visualizing vascular structures in different organs in an efficient manner. A cationic near infrared (NIR) fluorescent dye was developed with attractive features to specifically stain blood vessels. Furthermore, we refined the process of organ staining and harvesting by retrograde perfusion and optimized the subsequent dehydration and clearing process by the use of an automatic tissue processor and a non-toxic substance, ethyl-cinnamate. Using this approach, the time interval between organ harvesting and microscopic analysis can be reduced from day(s) or weeks to 4 hours. Finally, we have demonstrated that the new NIR fluorescent agent in combination with confocal or light-sheet microscopy can be efficiently used for visualization of vascular structures, such as the blood vessels in different organs e.g. glomeruli in kidneys, with an extremely high resolution. Our approach facilitates the development of automatic image processing and the quantitative analysis to study vascular and kidney diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaguo Huang
- Medical Research Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.,Institute for Medical Technology, University of Heidelberg and University of Applied Sciences, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Cinzia Brenna
- Medical Research Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.,Institute for Medical Technology, University of Heidelberg and University of Applied Sciences, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Arif Ul Maula Khan
- Medical Research Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.,Institute for Medical Technology, University of Heidelberg and University of Applied Sciences, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Cristina Daniele
- Medical Research Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.,Institute for Medical Technology, University of Heidelberg and University of Applied Sciences, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Rudolf
- Institute for Medical Technology, University of Heidelberg and University of Applied Sciences, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.,Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, 68163, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Vincent Heuveline
- Director of the Computing Centre, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 293, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Norbert Gretz
- Medical Research Center, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany. .,Institute for Medical Technology, University of Heidelberg and University of Applied Sciences, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany.
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Watson SA, Scigliano M, Bardi I, Ascione R, Terracciano CM, Perbellini F. Preparation of viable adult ventricular myocardial slices from large and small mammals. Nat Protoc 2017; 12:2623-2639. [PMID: 29189769 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2017.139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
This protocol describes the preparation of highly viable adult ventricular myocardial slices from the hearts of small and large mammals, including rodents, pigs, dogs and humans. Adult ventricular myocardial slices are 100- to 400-μm-thick slices of living myocardium that retain the native multicellularity, architecture and physiology of the heart. This protocol provides a list of the equipment and reagents required alongside a detailed description of the methodology for heart explantation, tissue preparation, slicing with a vibratome and handling of myocardial slices. Supplementary videos are included to visually demonstrate these steps. A number of critical steps are addressed that must be followed in order to prepare highly viable myocardial slices. These include identification of myocardial fiber direction and fiber alignment within the tissue block, careful temperature control, use of an excitation-contraction uncoupler, optimal vibratome settings and correct handling of myocardial slices. Many aspects of cardiac structure and function can be studied using myocardial slices in vitro. Typical results obtained with hearts from a small mammal (rat) and a large mammal (human) with heart failure are shown, demonstrating myocardial slice viability, maximum contractility, Ca2+ handling and structure. This protocol can be completed in ∼4 h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel A Watson
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Myocardial Function, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Martina Scigliano
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Myocardial Function, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ifigeneia Bardi
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Myocardial Function, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Raimondo Ascione
- Translational Biomedical Research Centre, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Cesare M Terracciano
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Myocardial Function, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Filippo Perbellini
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Myocardial Function, National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Kaufman JA, Castro MJ, Sandoval-Skeet N, Al-Nakkash L. Optical clearing of small intestine for three-dimensional visualization of cellular proliferation within crypts. J Anat 2017; 232:152-157. [PMID: 28967147 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
New methods on optical clearing provide a valuable alternative to traditional physical section histology. Optical clearing allows investigation of relatively large tissue samples at histological resolution while maintaining the three-dimensional architecture of the intact system. There is significant potential for applying optical clearing to gastrointestinal tissues. In particular, intestinal crypts contain high concentrations of stem cells, making these structures especially important for research on cellular proliferation in the intestinal epithelium. The objective of our study is to demonstrate an optical clearing method that is easy to implement and is compatible with mitotic fluorescent labeling. The optical clearing method we present utilizes a Triton/DMSO delipidization step followed by refractive index matching, rendering the tissue nearly transparent. We use EdU click chemistry to fluorescently label mitotic cell nuclei. Our results demonstrate successful clearing of jejunal samples with readily visible EdU staining by means of confocal microscopy. Three-dimensional reconstruction of labeled samples reveals preservation of intestinal cytoarchitecture including muscular, submucosal, and mucosal layers. Additionally, the morphology of intestinal crypts and individual EdU-positive mitotic nuclei are visible in sharp detail within their intact three-dimensional organization. In summary, we present an optical clearing method that is easy to implement and has the potential to provide more accurate assessment of cellular proliferation within the gastrointestinal tract in both healthy and disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A Kaufman
- Department of Anatomy, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA
| | - Monica J Castro
- Department of Anatomy, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA
| | - Noemy Sandoval-Skeet
- Masters of Biomedical Science Program, College of Health Sciences, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA
| | - Layla Al-Nakkash
- Department of Physiology, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA
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