Simultaneous submicrometric 3D imaging of the micro-vascular network and the neuronal system in a mouse spinal cord

Michela Fratini (1, 2) , Inna Bukreeva (3) , Gaetano Campi (4) , Francesco Brun (5, 6) , Giuliana Tromba (5) , Peter Modregger (7, 8) , Domenico Bucci (9) , Giuseppe Battaglia (9) , Raffaele Spano (10, 11) , Maddalena Mastrogiacomo (10, 11) , Herwig Requardt (12) , Federico Giove (1, 13) , Alberto Bravin (12) , Alessia Cedola (3)

1 Fdn Santa Lucia, Enrico Fermi Ctr MARBILab, I-00179 Rome, Italy
2 ROMA TRE - Università degli Studi Roma Tre = Roma Tre University
3 Univ Roma La Sapienza, CNR, Inst Phys & Chem Proc, Dept Phys, I-00185 Rome, Italy
4 CNR, Inst Crystallog, I-00016 Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
5 Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste
6 Università degli studi di Trieste = University of Trieste
7 EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
8 Paul Scherrer Inst, Swiss Light Source, CH-5232 Villigen, Switzerland
9 IRCCS Neuromed, I-86077 Pozzilli, Italy
10 AUO San Martino IST Ist Nazl Ric Canc, I-16132 Genoa, Italy
11 Univ Genoa, Dept Expt Med, I-16132 Genoa, Italy
12 ESRF - European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
13 Univ Roma La Sapienza, Dept Phys, I-00185 Rome, Italy

Faults in vascular (VN) and neuronal networks of spinal cord are responsible for serious neurodegenerative pathologies. Because of inadequate investigation tools, the lacking knowledge of the complete fine structure of VN and neuronal system represents a crucial problem. Conventional 2D imaging yields incomplete spatial coverage leading to possible data misinterpretation, whereas standard 3D computed tomography imaging achieves insufficient resolution and contrast. We show that X-ray high-resolution phase-contrast tomography allows the simultaneous visualization of three-dimensional VN and neuronal systems of ex-vivo mouse spinal cord at scales spanning from millimeters to hundreds of nanometers, with nor contrast agent nor sectioning and neither destructive sample-preparation. We image both the 3D distribution of micro-capillary network and the micrometric nerve fibers, axon-bundles and neuron soma. Our approach is very suitable for pre-clinical investigation of neurodegenerative pathologies and spinal-cord-injuries, in particular to resolve the entangled relationship between VN and neuronal system

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Michela Fratini, Inna Bukreeva, Gaetano Campi, Francesco Brun, Giuliana Tromba, et al.. Simultaneous submicrometric 3D imaging of the micro-vascular network and the neuronal system in a mouse spinal cord. Scientific Reports, 2015, 5, 6 p. ⟨10.1038/srep08514⟩. ⟨hal-01572861⟩