A protocol for visualization of murine in situ neurovascular interfaces

Danielle D Dang; Vikram Chandrashekhar; Vibhu Chandrashekhar; Nagela Ghabdanzanluqui; Russell H Knutsen; Matthew A Nazari; Likitha Nimmagadda; Danielle R Donahue; Dorian B McGavern; Beth A Kozel; John D Heiss; Karel Pacak; Zhengping Zhuang; Jared S Rosenblum

doi:10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102367

A protocol for visualization of murine in situ neurovascular interfaces

STAR Protoc. 2023 Sep 15;4(3):102367. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102367. Epub 2023 Jun 19.

Affiliations

¹ Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
² Neurosimplicity LLC, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702, USA.
³ Viral Immunology and Intravital Imaging Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
⁴ Laboratory of Vascular and Matrix Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
⁵ Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
⁶ Mouse Imaging Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
⁷ Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
⁸ Neuro-Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Electronic address: zhengping.zhuang@nih.gov.
⁹ Neurosimplicity LLC, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702, USA. Electronic address: jared@neurosimplicity.com.

Abstract

Mapping cranial vasculature and adjacent neurovascular interfaces in their entirety will enhance our understanding of central nervous system function in any physiologic state. We present a workflow to visualize in situ murine vasculature and surrounding cranial structures using terminal polymer casting of vessels, iterative sample processing and image acquisition, and automated image registration and processing. While this method does not obtain dynamic imaging due to mouse sacrifice, these studies can be performed before sacrifice and processed with other acquired images. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Rosenblum et al.¹.

Keywords: Model Organisms; Neuroscience; Systems biology.

Published by Elsevier Inc.

MeSH terms

Animals
Mice
Skull*
Workflow