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Assessment of Maternal Vascular Remodeling During Pregnancy in the Mouse Uterus
Published on: December 5, 2015
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Cervical Collagen Network Porosity Assessed by SHG Endomicroscopy Distinguishes Preterm and Normal Pregnancy-A Pilot
IEEE Transactions on Bio-Medical Engineering
|October 1, 2024
Summary
Second harmonic generation (SHG) endomicroscopy can differentiate preterm birth (PTB) in mice by detecting altered cervical collagen. This imaging technique shows potential for non-invasive PTB risk assessment in vivo.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Optics
- Reproductive Biology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Preterm birth (PTB) is a major global health issue linked to cervical changes.
- Second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy visualizes cervical collagen structure during pregnancy.
- A flexible SHG endomicroscope was developed for clinical translation.
Purpose of the Study:
- Assess the feasibility of SHG endomicroscopy for distinguishing normal and PTB mouse models.
- Evaluate the potential for non-invasive, in vivo diagnosis and risk assessment of PTB.
Main Methods:
- Conducted SHG endomicroscopy on mouse cervical tissue sections and intact cervices.
- Utilized normal pregnant mice and mifepristone-induced PTB mouse models.
- Performed quantitative image analysis to identify collagen morphology differences.
Main Results:
- PTB models showed altered collagen spatial distribution, larger fiber diameter, and increased pore size.
- Reduced pore numbers were observed in PTB models compared to normal controls.
- Findings were consistent in both tissue sections and intact cervices.
Conclusions:
- SHG endomicroscopy effectively visualizes cervical collagen remodeling associated with PTB.
- Quantitative analysis of SHG images can aid in PTB risk evaluation.
- This technology holds promise for clinical application in PTB assessment.
