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Updated: Oct 5, 2025
4-Dimensional Imaging of Zebrafish Optic Cup Morphogenesis
Published on: May 26, 2021
Multicontrast investigation of in vivo wildtype zebrafish in three development stages using polarization-sensitive
Antonia Lichtenegger1,2, Pradipta Mukherjee2, Junya Tamaoki3
1Medical University of Vienna, Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Vienna, Austria.
Significance:
The scattering and polarization characteristics of various organs of in vivo wildtype zebrafish in three development stages were investigated using a non-destructive and label-free approach. The presented results showed a promising first step for the usability of Jones-matrix optical coherence tomography (JM-OCT) in zebrafish-based research.
Aim:
We aim to visualize and quantify the scatter and polarization signatures of various zebrafish organs for larvae, juvenile, and young adult animals in vivo in a non-invasive and label-free way.
Approach:
A custom-built polarization-sensitive JM-OCT setup in combination with a motorized translation stage was utilized to investigate live zebrafish. Depth-resolved scattering (intensity and attenuation coefficient) and polarization (birefringence and degree of polarization uniformity) properties were analyzed. OCT angiography (OCT-A) was utilized to investigate the vasculature label-free and non-destructively.
Results:
The scatter and polarization signatures of the zebrafish organs such as the eye, gills, and muscles were investigated. The attenuation coefficient and birefringence changes between 1- and 2-month-old animals were evaluated in selected organs. OCT-A revealed the vasculature of in vivo larvae and juvenile zebrafish in a label-free manner.
Conclusions:
JM-OCT offers a rapid, label-free, non-invasive, tissue specific, and three-dimensional imaging tool to investigate in vivo processes in zebrafish in various development stages.
