Transparent tissue in solid state for solvent-free and antifade 3D imaging
Journal
Nature communications
Journal Volume
14
Journal Issue
1
Date Issued
2023-06-09
Author(s)
Hsiao, Fu-Ting
Chien, Hung-Jen
Chou, Ya-Hsien
Peng, Shih-Jung
Chung, Mei-Hsin
Huang, Tzu-Hui
Lo, Li-Wen
Shen, Chia-Ning
Chang, Hsiu-Pi
Tang, Shiue-Cheng
Abstract
Optical clearing with high-refractive-index (high-n) reagents is essential for 3D tissue imaging. However, the current liquid-based clearing condition and dye environment suffer from solvent evaporation and photobleaching, causing difficulties in maintaining the tissue optical and fluorescent features. Here, using the Gladstone-Dale equation [(n-1)/density=constant] as a design concept, we develop a solid (solvent-free) high-n acrylamide-based copolymer to embed mouse and human tissues for clearing and imaging. In the solid state, the fluorescent dye-labeled tissue matrices are filled and packed with the high-n copolymer, minimizing scattering in in-depth imaging and dye fading. This transparent, liquid-free condition provides a friendly tissue and cellular environment to facilitate high/super-resolution 3D imaging, preservation, transfer, and sharing among laboratories to investigate the morphologies of interest in experimental and clinical conditions.
Type
journal article