Francesca C. Norris1, 2,
Jon O. Cleary1, 3, Joanne Henderson4, Benjamin Sinclair1,
5, Karen McCue6, Jack A. Wells1, Sebastien
Ourselin7, Paolo Salomoni4, Peter J. Scambler6,
Mark F. Lythgoe1
1Centre for
Advanced Biomedical Imaging, University College London, London, United
Kingdom; 2Centre for Mathematics & Physics in the Life
Sciences & Experimental Biology (CoMPLEX), University College London,
London, United Kingdom; 3Department of Medical Physics &
Bioengineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom; 4Samantha
Dickson Brain Cancer Unit, UCL Cancer Institute, London, United Kingdom; 5Centre
for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London, United
Kingdom; 6Molecular Medicine Unit, UCL Institute of Child Health,
London, United Kingdom; 7Centre for Medical Image Computer,
University College London, London, United Kingdom
Advanced methods that enable labelling of neural stem cells and progenitor cells are fundamental for investigating brain development under normal and pathological conditions. MR histology is an emergent technique that may be able to provide an array of staining options to highlight distinct cellular structures. We identify previously undetected substructures and delineate regions of neural stem cells and progenitor cells within the intact embryo brain using an MR histological stain. This methodology could enable greater sensitivity for phenotypic characterisation of mutant mouse models by highlighting specific cellular structures for investigation of developmental and disease processes.