Elsevier

Microvascular Research

Volume 46, Issue 3, November 1993, Pages 293-309
Microvascular Research

Regular Article
Imaging System for Three-Dimensional Mapping of Cerebrocortical Capillary Networks in Vivo

https://doi.org/10.1006/mvre.1993.1054Get rights and content

Abstract

A personal computer-based image analysis system was developed for the three-dimensional mapping of cerebrocortical capillary networks from intravital video recordings. Capillary circulation in the parietal cortex of anesthetized rats was visualized to 70 μm depth using a closed cranial window preparation and epifluorescent, intensified video microscopy. The circulation was video recorded during slow (0.1 μm/frame) scanning of the focal plane (depth of field = 10 μm) through regions of interest. Capillary networks were traced from still video images of several microscope fields recorded at different X, Y, and Z stage coordinates. The length of vessel segments from five networks ranged between 10 and 178 μm and was best approximated by the Gamma distribution. Vessel diameter (2.5 to 8.7 μm) was best fitted by the lognormal distribution. A specific capillary network contained 51 segments and five anastomosing loops with circumferences between 575 and 1226 μm. Velocity of fluorescently labeled red blood cells ranged from 0.77 to 2.22 mm/sec within the capillary loops. The study demonstrates the feasibility of reconstructing capillary networks from intravital video recordings as deep as 70 μm within the cerebral cortex and finds an anastomosing pattern and heterogeneous red blood cell velocity in the capillary network.

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