Three-dimensional label-free imaging throughout adipocyte differentiation by stimulated Raman microscopy

PLoS One. 2019 May 21;14(5):e0216811. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216811. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Lipid droplets are lipid-storage organelles with a key role in lipid accumulation pathologies such as diabetes, obesity and atherosclerosis. Despite their important functions many aspects of lipid droplets biology are still unknown. This is partially due to the current use of exogenous labels to monitor their formation and remodelling by invasive imaging methods. Here, we apply stimulated Raman scattering microscopy to acquire images with high spatial resolution along with resolving capabilities of lipids and proteins and three-dimensional sectioning. Our images and data analysis demonstrate an increase in the number of large (>15μm2) lipid droplets in human adipocyte cells during differentiation process. In addition, spatially-resolved maps of lipids and proteins inside cells and three dimensional reconstructions of lipids at the initial and final steps of adipocyte differentiation are reported, too.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 3T3-L1 Cells
  • Adipocytes / cytology*
  • Adipocytes / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Cell Differentiation*
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional*
  • Lipid Droplets / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Nonlinear Optical Microscopy*

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Italian National Operative Programs PONa3_00025 (BIOforIU); Euro-bioimaging large scale pan-European research infrastructure project, http://www.eurobioimaging.eu/content-page/italy; TRansforming IDEas in Oncological research award (TRIDEO, AIRC-Fondazione Cariplo, Milan, Italy, IG17524 to C.V.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.