A Novel Technique for Visualizing and Analyzing the Cerebral Vasculature in Rodents

Translational Stroke Research
Arjang SalehiAndre Obenaus

Abstract

We introduce a novel protocol to stain, visualize, and analyze blood vessels from the rat and mouse cerebrum. This technique utilizes the fluorescent dye, DiI, to label the lumen of the vasculature followed by perfusion fixation. Following brain extraction, the labeled vasculature is then imaged using wide-field fluorescence microscopy for axial and coronal images and can be followed by regional confocal microscopy. Axial and coronal images can be analyzed using classical angiographic methods for vessel density, length, and other features. We also have developed a novel fractal analysis to assess vascular complexity. Our protocol has been optimized for adult rat, adult mouse, and neonatal mouse studies. The protocol is efficient, can be rapidly completed, stains cerebral vessels with a bright fluorescence, and provides valuable quantitative data. This method has a broad range of applications, and we demonstrate its use to study the vasculature in assorted models of acquired brain injury.

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Citations

Jul 24, 2021·Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism : Official Journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism·Aditya RayasamZinaida S Vexler

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
confocal microscopy
fluorescence microscopy
Fluorescence Imaging
transgenic

Software Mentioned

Fiji
CLARITY
AngioTool
BZ
ImageJ
Zeiss Zen
Fiji ImageJ
FocusClear
X Analyzer
Zeiss

Related Concepts

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Brain Injury & Trauma

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