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Updated: Jun 22, 2026
Microdissection of Mouse Brain into Functionally and Anatomically Different Regions
Published on: February 15, 2021
Genetic dissection of the mouse CNS using magnetic resonance microscopy
Alexandra Badea1, G Allan Johnson, Robert W Williams
1Center for In Vivo Microscopy, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Purpose Of Review:
Advances in magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) make it practical to map gene variants responsible for structural variation in brains of many species, including mice and humans. We review results of a systematic genetic analysis of MRM data using as a case study a family of well characterized lines of mice.
Recent Advances:
MRM has matured to the point that we can generate high contrast, high-resolution images even for species as small as a mouse, with a brain merely 1/3000th the size of humans. We generated 21.5-micron data sets for a diverse panel of BXD mouse strains to gauge the extent of genetic variation, and as a prelude to comprehensive genetic and genomic analyses. Here we review MRM capabilities and image segmentation methods; heritability of brain variation; covariation of the sizes of brain regions; and correlations between MRM and classical histological data sets.
Summary:
The combination of high throughput MRM and genomics will improve our understanding of the genetic basis of structure-function correlations. Sophisticated mouse models will be critical in converting correlations into mechanisms and in determining genetic and epigenetic causes of differences in disease susceptibility.
