Journal: iScience

Article Title: Comparative analysis of clearing methods for 3D imaging of the vasculature in mineralized mouse tissues

doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115464

Figure Lengend Snippet: Overview of the experimental workflow (A–D) Animal is anesthetized (A), followed by retro-orbital lectin injection (B). Animals then undergo transcardiac perfusion (C), followed by leg dissection and skin removal (D). (E–H) (E) Leg samples undergo fixation, decalcification, delipidation methods, and RI matching (tissue clearing) to render them transparent, as shown in (F). Cleared leg samples were imaged on a light-sheet fluorescence microscope (G) to view the vasculature, as shown in (H).

Article Snippet: After the depth of anesthesia was confirmed by absence of toe pinch reflex, mice were retro-orbitally injected with 50 μL Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) lectin 649 nm (Vector Laboratories, USA DL-1178-1) or 50 uL of 2% Evans blue dye (Sigma-Aldrich E2129) in sterile saline solution (Sigma-Aldrich S8776) into the retro-bulbar sinus vein using a 31-gauge needle.

Techniques: Injection, Dissection, Fluorescence, Microscopy

Journal: iScience

Article Title: Comparative analysis of clearing methods for 3D imaging of the vasculature in mineralized mouse tissues

doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115464

Figure Lengend Snippet: Comparison of clearing methods on mouse hindlimb vascular visualization (A) Schematic diagram of the knee region indicating imaging orientation and planes of depth of view. (B–G) Light microscopy images of mouse hindlimbs cleared using either iDISCO + , vDISCO, fDISCO, EZ Clear, Binaree, or CLARITY. (H–M) Sagittal view of light-sheet fluorescent microscope (LSFM) images of mouse hindlimbs following perfusion with lectin-649 nm and processing with the indicated tissue clearing protocols (far left column). Yellow dashed box indicates the knee region. (N–S) Magnified view of the knee region corresponding to the samples shown in (H–M). (T–Y) Images showing the depth of view of the knee region (the yellow axis for the Z plane is indicated in each panel on the far left of the image). (Z–E′) Optical sections along the z axis of the knee region at increasing depths (from 1 to 3 mm) highlight the retention of crisp signal in the vessels within the iDISCO+ and EZ Clear processed samples. n = 5 samples per group; t test, p ≤ 0.05. Scale bars, 500 μm. See also , , , , , , and .

Article Snippet: After the depth of anesthesia was confirmed by absence of toe pinch reflex, mice were retro-orbitally injected with 50 μL Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) lectin 649 nm (Vector Laboratories, USA DL-1178-1) or 50 uL of 2% Evans blue dye (Sigma-Aldrich E2129) in sterile saline solution (Sigma-Aldrich S8776) into the retro-bulbar sinus vein using a 31-gauge needle.

Techniques: Comparison, Imaging, Light Microscopy, Microscopy

Journal: iScience

Article Title: Comparative analysis of clearing methods for 3D imaging of the vasculature in mineralized mouse tissues

doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115464

Figure Lengend Snippet: Evaluation of decalcification duration for achieving optimal clearing and vascular visualization in aged mouse hindlimbs (A) A sagittal maximum intensity projection following LSFM imaging of a mouse hindlimb perfused with lectin-649 nm and cleared using iDISCO + with 2 days of decalcification in 10% EDTA. The yellow dashed area is magnified in (B) and represents the knee region, with the outline of the femur and tibia noted. (C) A depth-of-view image of the sample in (A) (note the z axis, in yellow, at the far left) showing how fluorescence signal diminishes at greater depths. (D) A similarly perfused mouse hindlimb processed for iDISCO + clearing after 5 days of decalcification. (E) A magnified view of the knee region from (A) and (F) a depth-of-view image showing improved signal intensity overall, less signal from bone, and more intense signal at greater imaging depths along the z axis. (G) Schematic of the knee region showing imaging orientation and planes of optical sections shown in (H) and (I). (H and I) Comparison of optical sections of the knee along the z axis. (J) Quantification of the signal-to-background fluorescence ratio (SBR) (expressed as mean ± SEM) in the mouse hindlimb showing increased SBR in the 5-day decalcification samples compared to 2-day decalcification. n = 5 samples per group (6-month-old mice; both sexes); t test, ∗∗∗∗ p ≤ 0.0001. Scale bars, 500 μm. See also , and .

Article Snippet: After the depth of anesthesia was confirmed by absence of toe pinch reflex, mice were retro-orbitally injected with 50 μL Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) lectin 649 nm (Vector Laboratories, USA DL-1178-1) or 50 uL of 2% Evans blue dye (Sigma-Aldrich E2129) in sterile saline solution (Sigma-Aldrich S8776) into the retro-bulbar sinus vein using a 31-gauge needle.

Techniques: Imaging, Fluorescence, Comparison

Journal: iScience

Article Title: Comparative analysis of clearing methods for 3D imaging of the vasculature in mineralized mouse tissues

doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115464

Figure Lengend Snippet: Assessing the impact of imaging orientation between iDISCO + and EZ Clear in the mouse hindlimb (A and B) Schematics illustrate the different imaging orientations and planes of optical sections for (C–R). (C–F) Comparison of how an anterior or sagittal orientation of the sample relative to the microscope objective impacts fluorescence signal intensity and depth within the vasculature of the adult murine hindlimb following perfusion with lectin-649 and either EZ Clear or iDISCO + tissue clearing. (G–J) Optical sections of both views, with the femur and tibia indicated. (K–N) Depth-of-view images and (O–R) optical sections along the z axis of the knee region. Scale bars, 500 μm. SLGV, superior lateral geniculate vessel; SMGV, superior medial geniculate vessel; IMGV, inferior medial geniculate vessel; ILGV, inferior lateral geniculate vessel. n = 5 samples per group; t test, p ≤ 0.05. Scale bars, 500 μm. See also , , , , and .

Article Snippet: After the depth of anesthesia was confirmed by absence of toe pinch reflex, mice were retro-orbitally injected with 50 μL Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) lectin 649 nm (Vector Laboratories, USA DL-1178-1) or 50 uL of 2% Evans blue dye (Sigma-Aldrich E2129) in sterile saline solution (Sigma-Aldrich S8776) into the retro-bulbar sinus vein using a 31-gauge needle.

Techniques: Imaging, Comparison, Microscopy, Fluorescence

Journal: iScience

Article Title: Comparative analysis of clearing methods for 3D imaging of the vasculature in mineralized mouse tissues

doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115464

Figure Lengend Snippet: Comparison of the mouse hindlimb vascular network visualized by micro-CT or by iDISCO + clearing and light-sheet imaging (A and B) Anterior view of representative micro-CT images of the mouse hindlimb following perfusion with Vascupaint contrast agent and an LSFM image of a mouse hindlimb perfused with lectin-649 and cleared using iDISCO + . Bone in the micro-CT images is pseudocolored white, while vessels in both the micro-CT and light-sheet panels are color coded based on vessel diameter (the keys corresponding to vessel diameter are to the right of [E and F]). (C and D) Medial and (E and F) lateral views of the same samples. (G) Quantification of the frequency of different diameter vessels in micro-CT and LSFM-imaged samples, with error bars showing mean ± SEM. (H) Quantification of the difference in vessel volume relative to the sample volume (calculated as vessel volume ratio (%) = V e s s e l v o l u m e S a m p l e v o l u m e × 100%) between micro-CT and LSFM-imaged samples, with error bars showing mean ± SEM. F, femur; Fi, fibula; P, patella; T, tibia; IMGA, inferior medial geniculate artery; ILGA, inferior lateral geniculate artery; PA, popliteal artery; SMGA, superior medial genicular artery; SLGA, superior lateral genicular artery). n = 5 samples per group (2 month-old mice); t test, ∗∗∗∗ p ≤ 0.0001. Scale bars, 500 μm. See also .

Article Snippet: After the depth of anesthesia was confirmed by absence of toe pinch reflex, mice were retro-orbitally injected with 50 μL Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) lectin 649 nm (Vector Laboratories, USA DL-1178-1) or 50 uL of 2% Evans blue dye (Sigma-Aldrich E2129) in sterile saline solution (Sigma-Aldrich S8776) into the retro-bulbar sinus vein using a 31-gauge needle.

Techniques: Comparison, Micro-CT, Imaging