A versatile vessel casting method for fine mapping of vascular networks using a hydrogel-based lipophilic dye solution.

ABSTRACT: Efficient labeling of the vasculature is important for understanding the organization of vascular networks. Here, we propose VALID, a vessel-labeling method that enables visualization of vascular networks with tissue clearing and light-sheet microscopy. VALID transforms traditional lipophilic dye solution into hydrogel by introducing gelatin and restrains the dye aggregation, resulting in complete and uniform vessel-labeling patterns with high signal-to-background ratios. VALID also enhances the compatibility of lipophilic dyes with solvent-based tissue-clearing protocols, which was hard to achieve previously. Using VALID, we combined lipophilic dyes with solvent-based tissue-clearing techniques to perform 3D reconstructions of vasculature within mouse brain and spinal cord. We also employ

SUBMITTER: Zhu J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10014313 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature