Name: Video: Experimental Preparation and Ex Ovo Culture of Chicken Embryo for Brillouin Microscopy
Uploaded: 2023-11-10T15:00:00
Description: 117 Views. Experimental Preparation and Ex Ovo Culture of Chicken Embryo for Brillouin Microscopy

experimental preparation and ex ovo culture of chicken embryo for brillouin microscopy

Longitudinal Monitoring of Neural Plate Mechanics in Chick Embryo Development

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are severe birth defects of the central nervous system caused by failures in neural tube closure (NTC) during embryonic development1. The etiology of NTDs is complex. Studies have shown that NTC involves a sequence of morphogenetic processes, including convergent extension, bending of the neural plate (e.g., apical constriction), elevating the neural fold, and finally adhesion of the neural fold. These processes are regulated by multiple molecular and genetic mechanisms2,3, and any malfunction in these processes may result in NTDs4,5,6. As mounting evidence suggests that mechanical cues also play crucial roles during NTC3,7,8,9,10,11, and relationships have been found between genes and mechanical cues12,13,14, it becomes imperative to investigate the tissue biomechanics during neurulation.
Several techniques have been developed for measuring the mechanical properties of embryonic tissues, including laser ablation (LA)15, tissue dissection and relaxation (TDR)16,17, micropipette aspiration (MA)18, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)-based nanoindentation19, microindenters (MI)&#160;and microplates (MP)20, micro rheology (MR) with optical/magnetic tweezers21,22,23, and droplet-based sensors24. Existing methods can measure mechanical properties at spatial resolutions ranging from subcellular to tissue scales. However, most of these methods are invasive because they require contact with the sample (e.g., MA, AFM, MI, and MP), external material injection (e.g., MR and droplet-based sensors), or tissue dissection (e.g., LA and TDR). As a result, it is challenging for existing methods to monitor the mechanical evolution of neural plate tissue in situ25. Recently, reverberant optical coherence elastography has shown promise for non-contact mechanical mapping with high spatial resolution26.
Confocal Brillouin microscopy is an emerging optical modality that enables non-contact quantification of tissue biomechanics with subcellular resolution27,28,29,30. Brillouin microscopy is based on the principle of spontaneous Brillouin light scattering, which is the interaction between the incident laser light and the acoustic wave induced by thermal fluctuations within the material. Consequently, the scattered light experiences a frequency shift, known as the Brillouin shift &#969;R, following the equation31:
<img alt="Equation 1" src="/files/ftp_upload/66117/66117eq01.jpg" style="margin: auto;" /> (1)
Here, <img alt="Equation 2" src="/files/ftp_upload/66117/66117eq02.jpg" style="margin: auto;" /> is the refractive index of the material,&#160;&#955; is the wavelength of the incident light, M&#39; is the longitudinal modulus, &#961; is the mass density, and &#952; is the angle between the incident light and the scattered light. For the same type of biological materials, the ratio of refractive index and density <img alt="Equation 3" src="/files/ftp_upload/66117/66117eq03.jpg" style="margin: auto;" /> is approximately constant28,32,33,34,35,36. Thus, the Brillouin shift can be directly used to estimate relative mechanical changes in physiological processes. The feasibility of Brillouin microscopy has been validated in various biological samples29,37,38. Recently, time-lapse mechanical imaging of a live chick embryo was demonstrated by combining a Brillouin microscope with an on-stage incubation system39. This protocol provides detailed descriptions of sample preparation, experiment implementation, and data post-processing and analysis. We hope this effort will facilitate the widespread adoption of non-contact Brillouin technology for studying biomechanical regulation in embryo development and birth defects.

Author Spotlight: Non-Contact Measurement of Tissue Mechanics in Live Chick Embryos Using Brillouin Microscopy

Monitoring the Mechanical Evolution of Tissue During Neural Tube Closure of Chick Embryo

Experimental Preparation and Ex Ovo Culture of Chicken Embryo for Brillouin Microscopy

experimental-preparation-ex-ovo-culture-chicken-embryo-for-brillouin

Research

JoVE Journal

Developmental Biology

117 Views. Experimental Preparation and Ex Ovo Culture of Chicken Embryo for Brillouin Microscopy

Video: Experimental Preparation and Ex Ovo Culture of Chicken Embryo for Brillouin Microscopy

Neural tube closure (NTC) is a critical process during embryonic development. Failure in this process can lead to neural tube defects, causing congenital malformations or even mortality. NTC involves a series of mechanisms on genetic, molecular, and mechanical levels. While mechanical regulation has become an increasingly attractive topic in recent years, it remains largely unexplored due to the lack of suitable technology for conducting mechanical testing of 3D embryonic tissue in situ. In response, we have developed a protocol for quantifying the mechanical properties of chicken embryonic tissue in a non-contact and non-invasive manner. This is achieved by integrating a confocal Brillouin microscope with an on-stage incubation system. To probe tissue mechanics, a pre-cultured embryo is collected and transferred to an on-stage incubator for ex ovo culture. Simultaneously, the mechanical images of the neural plate tissue are acquired by the Brillouin microscope at different time points during development. This protocol includes detailed descriptions of sample preparation, the implementation of Brillouin microscopy experiments, and data post-processing and analysis. By following this protocol, researchers can study the mechanical evolution of embryonic tissue during development longitudinally.

This protocol was developed to longitudinally monitor the mechanical properties of neural plate tissue during chick embryo neurulation. It is based on the integration of a Brillouin microscope and an on-stage incubation system, enabling live mechanical imaging of neural plate tissue in ex ovo cultured chick embryos.

Neural tube closure (NTC) is a critical process during embryonic development. Failure in this process can lead to neural tube defects, causing congenital ...