Optical micro-tomography "OPenT" allows the study of large toadfish Halobatrachus didactylus embryos and larvae. (May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Felix, Pedro M.; Gonçalves, Ania; Vicente, Joana R.; Fonseca, Paulo J.; Amorim, M. Clara P.; Costa, José L.; Martins, Gabriel G.
• Is Part Of: Mechanisms of development. Volume 140(2016)
• Page Start: 19
• Page End: 24
• Publication Date: 2016-05
• Subjects: Toadfish -- Inner ear -- Swim bladder -- Development -- OPenT -- Optical tomography; Developmental biology -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Developmental Biology -- Periodicals; Molecular Biology -- Periodicals; Biologie du développement -- Périodiques; Biologie moléculaire -- Périodiques; Developmental biology; Molecular biology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 571.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2016.03.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0925-4773

Abstract

Abstract: Batrachoidids, which include midshipman and toadfish are less known among embryologists, but are common in other fields. They are characteristic for their acoustic communication, and develop hearing and sound production while young juveniles. They lay large benthic eggs (> 5 mm) with a thick chorion and adhesive disk and slow development, which are particularly challenging for studying embryology. Here we took advantage of a classical tissue clearing technique and the OPenT open-source platform for optical tomography imaging, to image a series of embryos and larvae from 3 to 30 mm in length, which allowed detailed 3D anatomical reconstructions non-destructively. We documented some of the developmental stages (early and late in development) and the anatomy of the delicate stato-acoustic organs, swimming bladder and associated sonic muscles. Compared to other techniques accessible to developmental biology labs, OPenT provided advantages in terms of image quality, cost of operation and data throughput, allowing identification and quantitative morphometrics of organs in larvae, earlier and with higher accuracy than is possible with other imaging techniques. Highlights: The toadfish Halobatrachus didactylus produces large benthic eggs with slow developing embryos difficult to image OPenT, an acessible open-source optical tomography platform, facilitates 3D imaging of large specimens It allows identification & morphometrics of stato-acoustic organs earlier and with higher accuracy than other techniques