1. Two-photon microscopy of vital murine elastic and muscular arteries. Combined structural and functional imaging with subcellular resolution.
- Author
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Megens RT, Reitsma S, Schiffers PH, Hilgers RH, De Mey JG, Slaaf DW, oude Egbrink MG, and van Zandvoort MA
- Subjects
- Acetylcholine pharmacology, Animals, Cell Nucleus, Collagen metabolism, Elasticity, Elastin metabolism, Female, Glycocalyx metabolism, Mice, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiphoton instrumentation, Norepinephrine pharmacology, Uterus blood supply, Vasoconstriction drug effects, Vasoconstriction physiology, Vasoconstrictor Agents pharmacology, Vasodilation drug effects, Vasodilation physiology, Vasodilator Agents pharmacology, Carotid Arteries cytology, Carotid Arteries physiology, Mesenteric Arteries cytology, Mesenteric Arteries physiology, Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiphoton methods
- Abstract
Understanding vascular pathologies requires insight in the structure and function, and, hence, an imaging technique combining subcellular resolution, large penetration depth, and optical sectioning. We evaluated the applicability of two-photon laser-scanning microscopy (TPLSM) in large elastic and small muscular arteries under physiological conditions. Elastic (carotid) and muscular (uterine, mesenteric) arteries of C57BL/6 mice were mounted in a perfusion chamber. TPLSM was used to assess the viability of arteries and to visualize the structural components elastin, collagen, nuclei, and endothelial glycocalyx (EG). Functionality was determined using diameter changes in response to noradrenaline and acetylcholine. Viability and functionality were maintained up to 4 h, enabling the assessment of structure-function relationships. Structural vessel wall components differed between elastic and muscular arteries: size (1.3 vs. 2.1 microm) and density (0.045 vs. 0.57 microm(-2)) of internal elastic lamina fenestrae, smooth muscle cell density (3.50 vs. 1.53 microm(-3)), number of elastic laminae (3 vs. 2), and adventitial collagen structure (tortuous vs. straight). EG in elastic arteries was 4.5 microm thick, covering 66% of the endothelial surface. TPLSM enables visualization and quantification of subcellular structures in vital and functional elastic and muscular murine arteries, allowing unraveling of structure-function relationships in healthy and diseased arteries., (Copyright 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.)
- Published
- 2007
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