PUBLICATION

An All-Optical Approach for Probing Microscopic Flows in Living Embryos

Authors
Supatto, W., Fraser, S.E., and Vermot, J.
ID
ZDB-PUB-080622-14
Date
2008
Source
Biophysical journal   95(4): L29-L31 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Fraser, Scott E., Vermot, Julien
Keywords
Cilia-driven flow, Femtosecond laser ablation, Kuppfer's vesicle, Left-right asymmetry, Spinning-disk microscopy, Zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Body Fluids/physiology*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/cytology*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/physiology*
  • Microscopy, Video/methods*
  • Optics and Photonics
  • Rheology/methods*
  • Zebrafish/anatomy & histology*
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
PubMed
18556762 Full text @ Biophys. J.
Abstract
Living systems rely on fluid dynamics from embryonic development to adulthood. To visualize biological fluid flow, devising the proper labeling method compatible with both normal biology and in vivo imaging remains a major experimental challenge. Here, we describe a simple strategy for probing microscopic fluid flows in vivo that meets this challenge. An all-optical procedure combining femtosecond laser ablation, fast confocal microscopy and 3D-particle tracking was devised to label, image and quantify the flow. This approach is illustrated by studying the flow generated within a micrometer scale ciliated vesicle located deep inside the zebrafish embryo and involved in breaking left-right embryonic symmetry. By mapping the velocity field within the vesicle and surrounding a single beating cilium, we show this method can address the dynamics of cilia-driven flows at multiple length scales, and can validate the flow features as predicted from previous simulations. This approach provides new experimental access to questions of microscopic fluid dynamics in vivo.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping