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Forward and reverse genetics now allow researchers to understand embryonic and postnatal gene function in a broad range of species. Although some genetic mutations cause obvious morphological change, other mutations can be more subtle and, without adequate observation and quantification, might be overlooked. For the increasing number of genetic model organisms examined by the growing field of phenomics, standardized but sensitive methods for quantitative analysis need to be incorporated into routine practice to effectively acquire and analyze ever-increasing quantities of phenotypic data. In this study, we present platform-independent parameters for the use of microscopic x-ray computed tomography (microCT) for phenotyping species-specific skeletal morphology of a variety of different genetic model organisms. We show that microCT is suitable for phenotypic characterization for prenatal and postnatal specimens across multiple species.

Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease characterized by the accumulation of lipids and fibrous elements in the arteries and is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke in developed and developing countries.1 Animal models have become increasingly important tools for addressing key mechanistic and therapeutic questions that cannot be answered from human studies of atherosclerosis. However, the small-scale vascular structures in genetically engineered mice require labor-intensive histomorphometric techniques to quantify lesions. Recently, a new technique has emerged to image ex vivo blocks of soft tissue by staining tissue with metal solutions, then scanning with a microscopic computed tomography (microCT) instrument (Figure I in the online-only Data Supplement).2 This technique was originally applied to the study of the developing heart in embryos3 and fetuses (Figure II in the online-only Data Supplement) but can also be applied to the en bloc imaging of the heart, great vessels, and lesions thereof. By this method, tissues are left intact, but one can employ image analysis to create “virtual” histological …

A bold new effort to disrupt every gene in the mouse genome necessitates systematic, interdisciplinary approaches to analyzing patterning defects in the mouse embryo. We present a novel, rapid, and inexpensive method for obtaining high-resolution virtual histology for phenotypic assessment of mouse embryos. Using osmium tetroxide to differentially stain tissues followed by volumetric X-ray computed tomography to image whole embryos, isometric resolutions of 27 μm or 8 μm were achieved with scan times of 2 h or 12 h, respectively, using mid-gestation E9.5–E12.5 embryos. The datasets generated by this method are immediately amenable to state-of-the-art computational methods of organ patterning analysis. This technique to assess embryo anatomy represents a significant improvement in resolution, time, and expense for the quantitative, three-dimensional analysis of developmental patterning defects attributed to genetically engineered mutations and chemically induced embryotoxicity., Synopsis Developmental biology is entering the digital age, thanks to advancements in imaging technologies, instrumentation, and software. These advancements are converging with discoveries in developmental biology to deliver unprecedented insight into how human development is impacted by the products we use, the environment we live in, and our genetic composition. Industrial societies are becoming increasingly concerned with the exposure of women and their unborn fetuses to pharmaceuticals and commonplace household chemicals. In addition, understanding genetic causes of birth defects is now possible through the isolation of specific genes, which can be efficiently disrupted in embryos, and subsequently observed for birth defects. Such studies of embryotoxicity typically involve the use of mouse embryos. However, evaluation of mouse embryos in the past has involved expensive and cumbersome external inspection and thin sectioning for view under the microscope. As such, developmental biologists have eagerly anticipated the advent of tools that would allow them to routinely assess the complex and dynamic organization of embryos using techniques that are fast and inexpensive. In this article, the authors introduce a rapid, high-quality, and inexpensive technique for the three-dimensional visualization of mouse embryos using X-ray computed tomography that is ideally suited for researchers in pharmaceutical, industrial, and academic laboratories.