Contrast Imaging in Mouse Embryos Using High-frequency Ultrasound

Summary

Here, we present a protocol to inject ultrasound microbubble contrast agents into living, isolated late-gestation stage murine embryos. This method enables the study of perfusion parameters and of vascular molecular markers within the embryo using contrast-enhanced high-frequency ultrasound imaging.

Abstract

Ultrasound contrast-enhanced imaging can convey essential quantitative information regarding tissue vascularity and perfusion and, in targeted applications, facilitate the detection and measure of vascular biomarkers at the molecular level. Within the mouse embryo, this noninvasive technique may be used to uncover basic mechanisms underlying vascular development in the early mouse circulatory system and in genetic models of cardiovascular disease. The mouse embryo also presents as an excellent model for studying the adhesion of microbubbles to angiogenic targets (including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) or α_vβ₃) and for assessing the quantitative nature of molecular ultrasound. We therefore developed a method to introduce ultrasound contrast agents into the vasculature of living, isolated embryos. This allows freedom in terms of injection control and positioning, reproducibility of the imaging plane without obstruction and motion, and simplified image analysis and quantification. Late gestational stage (embryonic day (E)16.6 and E17.5) murine embryos were isolated from the uterus, gently exteriorized from the yolk sac and microbubble contrast agents were injected into veins accessible on the chorionic surface of the placental disc. Nonlinear contrast ultrasound imaging was then employed to collect a number of basic perfusion parameters (peak enhancement, wash-in rate and time to peak) and quantify targeted microbubble binding in an endoglin mouse model. We show the successful circulation of microbubbles within living embryos and the utility of this approach in characterizing embryonic vasculature and microbubble behavior.

Introduction

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging makes use of microbubble contrast agents to visualize and characterize the vascular environment. These agents enable noninvasive assessment of the microcirculation, vascularity and cardiovascular function. In addition, modification of the bubble surface can result in targeted microbubble binding to endothelial biomarkers, as demonstrated in preclinical applications of angiogenesis, atherosclerosis and inflammation ^1,2 making molecular ultrasound imaging of vascular events possible. Contrast enhanced ultrasound can therefore be used to identify the complex and diverse environments that influence healthy and diseased vascu....

Protocol

NOTE: The experimental procedures performed in this study were approved by the Animal Care Committee at Sunnybrook Research Institute (Toronto, Ontario, Canada). Procedures for the humane treatment of animals must be observed at all times. It is assumed that the investigator is trained in the basic operation of an ultrasound imaging system. This protocol works best with two people.

1. Animal Models

1. Mate CD-1 male and female Mus musculus to obtain wild type embryos for perfusion studies.
2. For molecular imaging studies, generate Eng+/- mice by homologous recombination using embryonic stem cells of 129/Ola origin ....

Results

The injection of ultrasound contrast agents into ex utero mouse embryos is dependent on the successful isolation of living, late-gestational stage embryos from the uterus and maintenance of viability over the course of the injection and related ultrasound imaging. Once the embryo has been exteriorized and positioned, as shown in Figure 1, careful injection of contrast agent into the embryonic vasculature is possible. A typical B-mode ultrasound image of an E17.5 mouse embryo is shown in .......

Discussion

Ultrasound contrast agents were injected into late-stage gestation mouse embryos and nonlinear contrast images were acquired to measure perfusion parameters and targeted microbubble binding. Successful imaging of microbubbles within embryonic vasculature was dependent on a number of factors, the first being embryo viability. All equipment and apparatus were prepared in advance in order to minimize the time required for isolation of embryos from the uterus to the start of injection. Since the effects of single or repeated.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Reagents
Antibodies (biotinylated, eBioscience) — Antibody choice depends on the experiment
rat isotype IgG2 control	eBioscience	13-4321-85	This antibody/microbubble combination is often required as experimental control
biotin anti-mouse CD309	eBioscience	13-5821-85
Biotinylated rat MJ 7/18 antibody to mouse endoglin	In house hybridoma		Outside antibodies may also be appropriate: we  have used eBioscience (13-1051-85 ) in the past
Distilled water
Embryo media
500 ml Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium with high glucose	Sigma	D5796
50 ml Fetal Bovine Serum	ATCC	30-2020	lot # 7592456
Hepes	Gibco	15630	5 ml, 1 M
Penicillin-Streptomycin	Gibco	15140-122	5 ml, 10,000 units Pen., 10,000 μg Strep
Ethanol, 70%
Ice
Paraformaldehyde	Sigma	76240	4%
Phosphate Buffered Saline [1x]	Sigma	D8537	1x, w/o calcium chloride & magnesium chloride
Pregnant mouse, CD-1	Charles River Laboratories Inc.
0.9% sodium chloride (saline)	Hospira	0409-7984-11
Ultrasound contrast agent, target ready and untargeted	MicroMarker; VisualSonics Inc.
Ultrasound gel (Aquasonic 100, colourless)	CSP Medical	133-1009
Equipment
Cell culture plates (4) :  100 x 20 mm	Fisher Scientific	08-772-22
Cell culture plates (12) : 60 x 15 mm	Sigma	D8054
Centrifuge	Sorvall Legend RT centrifuge
Conical tubes, 50 ml BD Falcon	VWR	21008-938
Diluent	Beckman Coulter	Isoton II Diluent, 8448011
Dissection scissors (Wagner)	Fine Science Tools	Wagner 14068-12
Forceps (2), Dumont SS (0.10 x 0.06 mm)	Fine Science Tools	11200-33
Forceps, splinter	VWR	25601-134
Glass beaker, 2 L (Griffin Beaker)	VWR	89000-216
Glass capillaries, 1 x 90 mm GD-1 with filament	Narishige	GD-1
Glass needle puller	Narishige	PN-30
Gloves	Ansell	4002
Gross anatomy probe	Fine Science Tools	10088-15
Hot plate	VWR	89090-994
Ice bucket	Cole Parmer	RK 06274-01
Imaging Platform	VisualSonics Inc.	Integrated Rail System
Light source, fiber-optic	Fisher Scientific	12-562-36	Ideally has adjustable arms
Luers (12), polypropylene barbed female ¼-28 UNF thread	Cole Parmer	45500-30
Micro-ultrasound system, high-frequency	VisualSonics Inc.	Vevo2100
Needles, 21 gauge  (1”)	VWR	305165
Particle size analyzer	Beckman Coulter	Multisizer 3 Coulter Counter
Perforated spoon (Moria)	Fine Science Tools	MC 17 10373-17
Pins (6), black anodized minutien 0.15 mm	Fine Science Tools	26002-15
Pipettors [2-20 μl, 20-200 μl, 100-1,000 μl]	Eppendorf	Research Plus  adjustable 3120000038;       3120000054;       3120000062
Pipettor tips [2-200 μl, 50-1,000 μl]	Eppendorf	epT.I.P.S.                   22491334;             022491351
Scissors
Sylgard 184 Silicone Elastomer Kit	Dow Corning
Tubing, Tygon laboratory 1/32” x 3/32”	VWR	63010-007
Wooden applicator stick (swab, cotton head)	VWR	CA89031-270
Surgical microscope 5-8X magnification	Fisher Scientific	Steromaster
Syringes, 1 ml Normject	Fisher	14-817-25
Syringes (10), 30 ml	VWR	CA64000-041
Syringe infusion pump	Bio-lynx	NE-1000
Thermometer, -20-110 °C	VWR	89095-598
Timer	VWR	33501-418
Tubes, Eppendorf	VWR	20170-577
Tube racks (3)	VWR	82024-462
Ultrasound transducer, 20 MHz	VisualSonics Inc.	MS250
Vannas-Tubingen, angled up	Fine Science Tools	15005-08