Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics, Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics-Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.
MoE Key Laboratory for Biomedical Photonics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China.
Theranostics. 2018 Apr 9;8(10):2696-2708. doi: 10.7150/thno.23686. eCollection 2018.
Intravital optical imaging is a significant method for investigating cerebrovascular structure and function. However, its imaging contrast and depth are limited by the turbid skull. Tissue optical clearing has a great potential for solving this problem. Our goal was to develop a transparent skull window, without performing a craniotomy, for use in assessing cerebrovascular structure and function. Skull optical clearing agents were topically applied to the skulls of mice to create a transparent window within 15 min. The clearing efficacy, repeatability, and safety of the skull window were then investigated. Imaging through the optical clearing skull window enhanced both the contrast and the depth of intravital imaging. The skull window could be used on 2-8-month-old mice and could be expanded from regional to bi-hemispheric. In addition, the window could be repeatedly established without inducing observable inflammation and metabolic toxicity. We successfully developed an easy-to-handle, large, switchable, and safe optical clearing skull window. Combined with various optical imaging techniques, cerebrovascular structure and function can be observed through this optical clearing skull window. Thus, it has the potential for use in basic research on the physiopathologic processes of cortical vessels.
在体光学成像是研究脑血管结构和功能的重要方法。然而，其成像对比度和深度受到混浊颅骨的限制。组织光学透明化在解决这个问题方面具有很大的潜力。我们的目标是开发一种无需开颅即可使用的透明颅骨窗口，用于评估脑血管结构和功能。颅骨光学透明剂被局部应用于小鼠颅骨上，在 15 分钟内形成一个透明窗口。然后研究了颅骨窗口的清除效果、可重复性和安全性。通过光学透明颅骨窗口进行成像，提高了在体成像的对比度和深度。颅骨窗口可用于 2-8 月龄的小鼠，可从区域性扩展到双侧半球性。此外，该窗口可以在不引起可观察到的炎症和代谢毒性的情况下重复建立。我们成功开发了一种易于操作、大尺寸、可切换、安全的光学透明颅骨窗口。结合各种光学成像技术，可以通过该光学透明颅骨窗口观察脑血管结构和功能。因此，它有可能用于皮质血管的病理生理过程的基础研究。
