High-Resolution Imaging of Kidney Vascular Corrosion Casts with Nano-CT

Abstract

A vascular corrosion cast of an entire mouse kidney was scanned with a modular multiresolution X-ray nanotomography system. Using an isotropic voxel pitch of 0.5 mm, capillary systems such as the vasa recta, peritubular capillaries and glomeruli were clearly resolved. This represents a considerable improvement over corrosion casts scanned with microcomputed tomography systems. The resolving power of this system was clearly demonstrated by the unique observation of a dense, subcapsular mat of capillaries enveloping the entire outer surface of the cortical region. Resolution of glomerular capillaries was comparable to similar models derived from laser scanning confocal microscopy. The high-resolution, large field of view and the threedimensional nature of the resulting data opens new possibilities for the use of corrosion casting in research.

Renal blood flow and oxygenation drive nephron progenitor differentiation

“…Postnatal experiments have been performed that use intravascular resins that harden and thus depict a static representation of the kidney vasculature (2). These corrosion cast experiments have been greatly improved with the integration of advanced imaging techniques (24). Renal blood flow can be assessed in mice postnatally using ultrasound guidance and microbubble contrast agents (22).…”

Maternal protein‐energy malnutrition during early pregnancy in sheep impacts the fetal ornithine cycle to reduce fetal kidney microvascular development

“…It should be noted, however, that using the corrosion casting technique has some drawbacks: while we infused sufficient resin (7 ml) in a retrograde fashion into the umbilical artery to perfuse the intact fetal body and observe reverse perfusion of the umbilical vein, we could not witness perfusion of the fetal kidneys. Thus, while vascular corrosion casting with micro-CT quantification has been used previously to image individual renal corpuscles in adult animals (57), but not to our knowledge in fetuses, our macrovascular data may have underestimated the true vascularity of the kidney. Nevertheless, we now provide robust evidence that maternal PEM has a significant effect on the developing fetal kidney at a cellular level, effects that can lead to an anatomically and physiologically compromised mature adult kidney.…”

Nano-Computed Tomography: Technique and Applications

“…Use for fine structure imaging of the osseous [28,45], renal [46,47], and dental [48] anatomy and pathophysiology as well as scaffold imaging [29] are examples for the potential of this radiological technique and expected uses in coming years. …”