Visualization and molecular characterization of whole-brain vascular networks with capillary resolution.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 32107377.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-020-14786-z and PMC identifier 7046771.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Structural elucidation and molecular scrutiny of cerebral vasculature is crucial for understanding the functions and diseases of the brain. Here, we introduce SeeNet, a method for near-complete three-dimensional visualization of cerebral vascular networks with high signal-to-noise ratios compatible with molecular phenotyping. SeeNet employs perfusion of a multifunctional crosslinker, vascular casting by temperature-controlled polymerization of hybrid hydrogels, and a bile salt-based tissue-clearing technique optimized for observation of vascular connectivity. SeeNet is capable of whole-brain visualization of molecularly characterized cerebral vasculatures at the single-microvessel level. Moreover, SeeNet reveals a hitherto unidentified vascular pathway bridging cerebral and hippocampal vessels, thus serving as a potential tool to evaluate the connectivity of cerebral vasculature.
Medical subject headings
- Brain
- Capillaries
- Cerebrovascular Circulation
- Histocytological Preparation Techniques
- Imaging, Three-Dimensional