title: A Novel Technique for Visualizing the Intralymphatic Primo Vascular System by Using Hollow Gold Nanospheres.
abstract: Until recently, the primo vascular system (PVS) has been unnoticed by most anatomists due to the small diameter and translucent features of the threadlike network. These properties make primo vessels (PVs) difficult to visualize for harvest and for further characterization. One particular PVS subtype that is located within the lymphatic vessels (LVs) is of strong interest because with a proper contrast, these long PVs can be visualized through the transparent LV wall and can be harvested to provide sufficient sample material for analysis. The most common method to visualize this PVS subtype utilizes Alcian blue as the contrast agent. This technique is effective, but tedious, and has relatively low repeatability. The purpose of this study was to develop a new technique that allows reliable visualization of the intralymphatic PVS (IL-PVS) in a user-friendly manner. The method was designed to provide optical contrast to the PVS by taking advantage of the porous nature of the PV's external wall and interstitial matrix. Turquoise-green-colored hollow gold nanospheres (HGNs) in the size range of 50-125 nm were found to provide excellent optical contrast for the IL-PVS in rats. The PVS was visualized within 10 minutes after HGN administration at a 95% success rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perez-Abadia
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and W. M. Keck Center for Nanoscale Optofluidics, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA.
authors.forename: Staci
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and W. M. Keck Center for Nanoscale Optofluidics, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA.
authors.forename: Jin Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA. Electronic address: kyung.kang@louisville.edu.
authors.forename: Kyung A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, USA. Electronic address: cjmald01@louisville.edu.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maldonado
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D042601:Lymphatic Vessels / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D016740:Meridians; D054118:Nanospheres / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D006046:Gold
keywords: hollow gold nanospheres; lymph nodes; lymphatics; microscopy; optical imaging; primo vascular system; primo vessel