High Resolution and Labeling Free Studying the 3D Microstructure of the Pars Tensa-Annulus Unit of Mice

Wu，Jian Ping1,2; Yang，Xiaojie2; Wang，Yilin3; Swift，Ben4; Adamson，Robert5; Zheng，Yongchang6; Zhang，Rongli7; Zhong，Wen8; Chen，Fangyi2,9

2021-10-08

10.3389/fcell.2021.720383

Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology   影响因子和分区

2296-634X

2296-634X

Hearing loss is a serious illness affecting people’s normal life enormously. The acoustic properties of a tympanic membrane play an important role in hearing, and highly depend on its geometry, composition, microstructure and connection to the surrounding annulus. While the conical geometry of the tympanic membrane is critical to the sound propagation in the auditory system, it presents significant challenges to the study of the 3D microstructure of the tympanic membrane using traditional 2D imaging techniques. To date, most of our knowledge about the 3D microstructure and composition of tympanic membranes is built from 2D microscopic studies, which precludes an accurate understanding of the 3D microstructure, acoustic behaviors and biology of the tissue. Although the tympanic membrane has been reported to contain elastic fibers, the morphological characteristic of the elastic fibers and the spatial arrangement of the elastic fibers with the predominant collagen fibers have not been shown in images. We have developed a 3D imaging technique for the three-dimensional examination of the microstructure of the full thickness of the tympanic membranes in mice without requiring tissue dehydration and stain. We have also used this imaging technique to study the 3D arrangement of the collagen and elastic fibrillar network with the capillaries and cells in the pars tensa-annulus unit at a status close to the native. The most striking findings in the study are the discovery of the 3D form of the elastic and collagen network, and the close spatial relationships between the elastic fibers and the elongated fibroblasts in the tympanic membranes. The 3D imaging technique has enabled to show the 3D waveform contour of the collagen and elastic scaffold in the conical tympanic membrane. Given the close relationship among the acoustic properties, composition, 3D microstructure and geometry of tympanic membranes, the findings may advance the understanding of the structure—acoustic functionality of the tympanic membrane. The knowledge will also be very helpful in the development of advanced cellular therapeutic technologies and 3D printing techniques to restore damaged tympanic membranes to a status close to the native.

3D microstructure collagen elastic fibres pars tensa-annulus unit tympanic membrane

SCI

英语

第一 ; 通讯

National Natural Science Foundation of China[81771882] ; Fundamental Research Foundation of Shenzhen Committee of Science, Technology and Innovation[JCYJ20170817111912585] ; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science -Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutes[2021SHIBS0002] ; Shenzhen Science and Technology Program[JSGG20200225151916021] ; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Smart Healthcare Engineering[ZDSYS20200811144003009] ; Li Ka-Shing Foundation Cross-Disciplinary Research Grant[2020LKSF13C]

Cell Biology ; Developmental Biology

Cell Biology ; Developmental Biology

WOS:000721577900001

FRONTIERS MEDIA SA

2-s2.0-85117617696

Scopus

1.Academy of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,China
2.Department of Biomedical Engineering,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,China
3.Core Research Facilities,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,China
4.College of Computing,Australian National University,Canberra,Australia
5.School of Biomedical Engineering,Electrical and Computer Engineering,Dalhousie University,Halifax,Canada
6.Peking Union Medical College Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College,Beijing,China
7.Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital,Guangdong Academy of Medical Science,School of Medicine,South China University of Technology,Guangzhou,China
8.School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation,Xihua University,Chengdu,China
9.Department of Biology,Brain Research Centre,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,China

Wu，Jian Ping,Yang，Xiaojie,Wang，Yilin,et al. High Resolution and Labeling Free Studying the 3D Microstructure of the Pars Tensa-Annulus Unit of Mice[J]. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology,2021,9.

Wu，Jian Ping.,Yang，Xiaojie.,Wang，Yilin.,Swift，Ben.,Adamson，Robert.,...&Chen，Fangyi.(2021).High Resolution and Labeling Free Studying the 3D Microstructure of the Pars Tensa-Annulus Unit of Mice.Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology,9.

Wu，Jian Ping,et al."High Resolution and Labeling Free Studying the 3D Microstructure of the Pars Tensa-Annulus Unit of Mice".Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology 9(2021).