TY  - JOUR
A1  - Epah, Jeremy
A1  - Pálfi, Katalin
A1  - Dienst, Franziska Luise
A1  - Malacarne, Pedro Felipe
A1  - Bremer, Rolf
A1  - Salamon, Michael
A1  - Kumar, Sandeep
A1  - Jo, Hanjoong
A1  - Schürmann, Christoph
A1  - Brandes, Ralf
T1  - 3D imaging and quantitative analysis of vascular networks : a comparison of ultramicroscopy and micro-computed tomography
T2  - Theranostics
N2  - Rationale: Classic histology is the gold standard for vascular network imaging and analysis. The method however is laborious and prone to artefacts. Here, the suitability of ultramicroscopy (UM) and micro-computed tomography (CT) was studied to establish potential alternatives to histology.
Methods: The vasculature of murine organs (kidney, heart and atherosclerotic carotid arteries) was visualized using conventional 2D microscopy, 3D light sheet ultramicroscopy (UM) and micro-CT. Moreover, spheroid-based human endothelial cell vessel formation in mice was quantified. Fluorescently labeled Isolectin GS-IB4 A647 was used for in vivo labeling of vasculature for UM analysis, and analyses were performed ex vivo after sample preparation. For CT imaging, animals were perfused postmortem with radiopaque contrast agent.
Results: Using UM imaging, 3D vascular network information could be obtained in samples of animals receiving in vivo injection of the fluorescently labeled Isolectin GS-IB4. Resolution was sufficient to measure single endothelial cell integration into capillaries in the spheroid-based matrigel plug assay. Because of the selective staining of the endothelium, imaging of larger vessels yielded less favorable results. Using micro-CT or even nano-CT, imaging of capillaries was impossible due to insufficient X-ray absorption and thus insufficient signal-to-noise ratio. Identification of lumen in murine arteries using micro-CT was in contrast superior to UM.
Conclusion: UM and micro-CT are two complementary techniques. Whereas UM is ideal for imaging and especially quantifying capillary networks and arterioles, larger vascular structures are easier and faster to quantify and visualize using micro-CT. 3D information of both techniques is superior to 2D histology. UM and micro-CT together may open a new field of clinical pathology diagnosis.
KW  - Ultra microscopy
KW  - Light sheet fluorescence microscopy
KW  - Micro-CT
Y1  - 2018
UR  - http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/46388
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hebis:30:3-463887
SN  - 1838-7640
N1  - This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY-NC) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). See http://ivyspring.com/terms for full terms and conditions.
VL  - 8
IS  - 8
SP  - 2117
EP  - 2133
PB  - Ivyspring
CY  - Wyoming, NSW
ER  -