title: Micro/nano-computed tomography technology for quantitative dynamic, multi-scale imaging of morphogenesis.
abstract: Tissue morphogenesis and embryonic development are dynamic events challenging to quantify, especially considering the intricate events that happen simultaneously in different locations and time. Micro- and more recently nano-computed tomography (micro/nanoCT) has been used for the past 15 years to characterize large 3D fields of tortuous geometries at high spatial resolution. We and others have advanced micro/nanoCT imaging strategies for quantifying tissue- and organ-level fate changes throughout morphogenesis. Exogenous soft tissue contrast media enables visualization of vascular lumens and tissues via extravasation. Furthermore, the emergence of antigen-specific tissue contrast enables direct quantitative visualization of protein and mRNA expression. Micro-CT X-ray doses appear to be non-embryotoxic, enabling longitudinal imaging studies in live embryos. In this chapter we present established soft tissue contrast protocols for obtaining high-quality micro/nanoCT images and the image processing techniques useful for quantifying anatomical and physiological information from the data sets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, 304 Weill Hall, Ithaca, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Chelsea L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Gregg
authors.forename: Andrew K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Recknagel
authors.forename: Jonathan T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Butcher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D003287:Contrast Media; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D051379:Mice; D008845:Microinjections; D009024:Morphogenesis; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D003287:Contrast Media