3D + time blood flow mapping using SPIM-microPIV in the developing zebrafish heart

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Fluid Dynamics
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• Understanding in vivo blood flow dynamics is crucial for studying cardiovascular health.
• Existing methods often lack the resolution or temporal detail to capture complex flow patterns.
• Small animal models offer valuable platforms for investigating physiological processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate SPIM-microPIV, a new system for high-resolution 3D in vivo flow imaging.
• To measure and analyze the 3D blood flow fields within a zebrafish larva during the cardiac cycle.
• To assess the system's utility for studying heart function and fluid-structure interactions.

Main Methods:

• Development of SPIM-microPIV, integrating light-sheet microscopy with micro-particle image velocimetry.
• Validation using a phantom experiment with controlled bead flow in a microtube.
• Application of optical gating techniques to capture 3D+time flow fields in a zebrafish larva using fluorescent red blood cells.

Main Results:

• Successful validation of the SPIM-microPIV system using a phantom.
• Acquisition of 3D flow fields at 31 distinct cardiac phases in a zebrafish larva.
• Quantification of a net pumped blood volume of 0.239 nL per beat through the atrium.

Conclusions:

• SPIM-microPIV provides high-quality in vivo flow measurements with 3D micron-scale resolution.
• The system enables detailed analysis of cardiac function and fluid dynamics in small animal models.
• This technology holds significant potential for advancing research in cardiovascular physiology and fluid-structure interactions.