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Phenotyping transgenic embryos: a rapid 3-D screening method based on episcopic fluorescence image capturing

Nature Genetics volume 30, pages 59–65 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

We describe a technique suitable for routine three-dimensional (3-D) analysis of mouse embryos that is based on episcopic fluorescence images captured during serial sectioning of wax-embedded specimens. We have used this procedure to describe the cardiac phenotype and associated blood vessels of trisomic 16 (Ts16) and Cited2-null mutant mice, as well as the expression pattern of an Myf5 enhancer/β-galactosidase transgene. The consistency of the images and their precise alignment are ideally suited for 3-D analysis using video animations, virtual resectioning or commercial 3-D reconstruction software packages. Episcopic fluorescence image capturing (EFIC) provides a simple and powerful tool for analyzing embryo and organ morphology in normal and transgenic embryos.

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Figure 1: Comparison of Ts16 mutant and wildtype mouse heart at 16 dpc.
Figure 2: 3-D models of the heart and its related blood vessels in the Ts16 mouse mutant.
Figure 3: A 14.5-dpc wildtype mouse embryo.
Figure 4: Heart-associated blood vessels in a 14.5-dpc Cited2 null mutant mouse (a–e) and a control (f).
Figure 5: A 10.75-dpc mouse embryo carrying a β-galactosidase reporter transgene driven by one module of the Myf5 enhancer.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to D. Summerbell, J.P. Martinez-Barbera and N. Brown for providing transgenic embryos; S. Pagakis for assistance with computing; and R. Chillingworth and J. Sawkins for technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Integrative Morphology Group, University of Vienna, Waehringerstrasse 13, Wien, A-1090, Austria

    Wolfgang Johann Weninger

  2. Developmental Biology Division, National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London, NW7 1AA, UK

    Timothy Mohun

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  1. Wolfgang Johann Weninger
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Correspondence to Wolfgang Johann Weninger or Timothy Mohun.

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Weninger, W., Mohun, T. Phenotyping transgenic embryos: a rapid 3-D screening method based on episcopic fluorescence image capturing. Nat Genet 30, 59–65 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng785

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