Clarifying Tissue Clearing

Douglas S Richardson; Jeff W Lichtman

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2015.06.067

Clarifying Tissue Clearing

Cell. 2015 Jul 16;162(2):246-257. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.06.067.

Authors

Douglas S Richardson¹, Jeff W Lichtman²

Affiliations

¹ Harvard Center for Biological Imaging, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Electronic address: drichardson@fas.harvard.edu.
² Harvard Center for Biological Imaging, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Electronic address: jeff@mcb.harvard.edu.

Abstract

Biological specimens are intrinsically three dimensional; however, because of the obscuring effects of light scatter, imaging deep into a tissue volume is problematic. Although efforts to eliminate the scatter by "clearing" the tissue have been ongoing for over a century, there have been a large number of recent innovations. This Review introduces the physical basis for light scatter in tissue, describes the mechanisms underlying various clearing techniques, and discusses several of the major advances in light microscopy for imaging cleared tissue.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Histological Techniques / instrumentation
Histological Techniques / methods*
Histology
Humans
Imaging, Three-Dimensional / methods
Light
Microscopy / instrumentation
Microscopy / methods*
Microscopy, Confocal / methods

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding