Contrast Imaging in Mouse Embryos Using High-frequency Ultrasound

Janet M. Denbeigh; Brian A. Nixon; Mira C. Puri; F. Stuart Foster

doi:10.3791/52520

Contrast Imaging in Mouse Embryos Using High-frequency Ultrasound

JoVE Journal
Developmental Biology

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JoVE Journal Developmental Biology

Contrast Imaging in Mouse Embryos Using High-frequency Ultrasound

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10:39 min

March 4, 2015

DOI: 10.3791/52520-v

Janet M. Denbeigh^1,2, Brian A. Nixon^1,2, Mira C. Puri^1,2,3, F. Stuart Foster^1,2

¹Department of Medical Biophysics,University of Toronto, ²Sunnybrook Research Institute, ³Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute,Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto

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.

The overall goal of this procedure is to inject microbubbles into isolated living mouse embryos. For contrast enhanced ultrasound imaging. This is accomplished by first harvesting living E 16.5 or E 17.5 embryos from a pregnant mouse.

After preparing the targeting microbubbles, the microbubbles are injected in the living embryo via the placental vascular network. The final step is to image the microbubbles using ultrasound imaging. Ultimately, contrast enhanced ultrasound imaging may be used to measure vascular perfusion parameters and assess targeted microbubble binding in embryos.

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