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Jing D, Zhang S, Luo W, Gao X, Men Y, Ma C, Liu X, Yi Y, Bugde A, Zhou BO, Zhao Z, Yuan Q, Feng JQ, Gao L, Ge WP, Zhao H. Tissue clearing of both hard and soft tissue organs with the PEGASOS method. Cell Res 2018; 28:803-818. [PMID: 29844583 PMCID: PMC6082844 DOI: 10.1038/s41422-018-0049-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 212] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue clearing technique enables visualization of opaque organs and tissues in 3-dimensions (3-D) by turning tissue transparent. Current tissue clearing methods are restricted by limited types of tissues that can be cleared with each individual protocol, which inevitably led to the presence of blind-spots within whole body or body parts imaging. Hard tissues including bones and teeth are still the most difficult organs to be cleared. In addition, loss of endogenous fluorescence remains a major concern for solvent-based clearing methods. Here, we developed a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-associated solvent system (PEGASOS), which rendered nearly all types of tissues transparent and preserved endogenous fluorescence. Bones and teeth could be turned nearly invisible after clearing. The PEGASOS method turned the whole adult mouse body transparent and we were able to image an adult mouse head composed of bones, teeth, brain, muscles, and other tissues with no blind areas. Hard tissue transparency enabled us to reconstruct intact mandible, teeth, femur, or knee joint in 3-D. In addition, we managed to image intact mouse brain at sub-cellular resolution and to trace individual neurons and axons over a long distance. We also visualized dorsal root ganglions directly through vertebrae. Finally, we revealed the distribution pattern of neural network in 3-D within the marrow space of long bone. These results suggest that the PEGASOS method is a useful tool for general biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dian Jing
- Department of Restorative Sciences, School of Dentistry, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX, 75246, USA.,State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Shiwen Zhang
- Department of Restorative Sciences, School of Dentistry, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX, 75246, USA.,State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Wenjing Luo
- Department of Restorative Sciences, School of Dentistry, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX, 75246, USA
| | - Xiaofei Gao
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics, Neuroscience, Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Yi Men
- Department of Restorative Sciences, School of Dentistry, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX, 75246, USA
| | - Chi Ma
- Department of Restorative Sciences, School of Dentistry, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX, 75246, USA
| | - Xiaohua Liu
- Department of Restorative Sciences, School of Dentistry, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX, 75246, USA
| | - Yating Yi
- Department of Restorative Sciences, School of Dentistry, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX, 75246, USA.,State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Abhijit Bugde
- Live Cell Imaging Core Facility, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Bo O Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Zhihe Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Quan Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jian Q Feng
- Department of Restorative Sciences, School of Dentistry, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX, 75246, USA
| | - Liang Gao
- Intelligent Imaging Innovations (3i) Inc., 3509 Ringsby Court, Denver, CO, 80216, USA
| | - Woo-Ping Ge
- Children's Research Institute, Departments of Pediatrics, Neuroscience, Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Hu Zhao
- Department of Restorative Sciences, School of Dentistry, Texas A&M University, Dallas, TX, 75246, USA.
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