Multiphoton microscopy and tissue clearing for 3D characterization of the vasculature and fibrosis remodeling in rat dystrophic skeletal muscle.

ABSTRACT: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by progressive muscle fiber degeneration and replacement by fibrous and adipose tissues, alongside significant vascular abnormalities. Traditional two-dimensional (2D) histological assessments provide limited insight into the complex three-dimensional (3D) spatial organization and structural disorganization within dystrophic muscle. Here, we present a novel 3D approach combining multiphoton microscopy (second harmonic generation [SHG] and two-photon excited fluorescence [TPEF]) with tissue-clearing methods to comprehensively characterize microvascular and connective tissue remodeling in dystrophic skeletal muscle. We established a dedicated 3D image analysis workflow utilizing deep-learning-based segmentation techniques to quantify key par

SUBMITTER: Hassani I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12540727 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature