Visualizing Blood Vessel Development in Cultured Mouse Embryos Using Lightsheet Microscopy

Methods Mol Biol. 2021:2319:93-104. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1480-8_11.

Abstract

Lightsheet microscopy is a form of fluorescence microscopy that can be used to visualize specimen with high resolution, a large depth-of-field, and minimal photodamage and photobleaching as compared to traditional confocal microscopy. As this technology becomes much more readily available, it will be useful in revealing new findings in the cardiovascular development field that may be hidden or difficult to image. In this manuscript, we describe an approach for mounting and culturing postimplantation mouse embryos to visualize blood vessel development with a lightsheet microscope.

Keywords: Angiogenesis; Blood vessel; Embryo culture; Lightsheet microscopy; Mouse; SPIM; Vasculogenesis.

MeSH terms

  • Angiography / methods*
  • Animals
  • Blood Vessels / diagnostic imaging*
  • Blood Vessels / growth & development
  • Blood Vessels / metabolism
  • Culture Media / chemistry
  • Culture Techniques / methods*
  • Dissection / methods
  • Embryo, Mammalian / blood supply
  • Embryo, Mammalian / diagnostic imaging*
  • Embryonic Development*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods*
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic*

Substances

  • Culture Media