The enlightened entomologist: fast, non-destructive whole-arthropod clearing for three-dimensional imaging
Arthropods are a strikingly diverse phylum of invertebrates with segmented bodies, chitinous exoskeletons, and jointed limbs, many of which are colloquially referred to as insects. Their pigmented and optically dense bodies pose a considerable challenge for microscopy. While early naturalists focused on external features, modern approaches combining tissue clearing and fluorescence microscopy…
Arthropods, a diverse group of invertebrates with segmented bodies and chitinous exoskeletons, present challenges for microscopy due to their pigmented and optically dense bodies. Traditional methods, such as chemical clearing and three-dimensional microscopy, are specialized and often require adaptation and optimization for different species.
Researchers have now developed a fast, effective, and non-toxic clearing method that renders arthropods transparent within hours to days. This method allows for the use of existing upright microscopes or macroscopes, which can be upgraded with a modular and affordable light-sheet microscope for rapid volumetric imaging. The new pipeline is compatible with dye staining and immunofluorescence labeling, while endogenous autofluorescence offers valuable anatomical context and aids in 3-D reconstruction.
Written by urgent.news from bioRxiv's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
