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Neuroscience

Visualization of cell tracking, drug delivery, and pharmacodynamics in the brain.

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Overview

CFT for neuroscience research

Cryo-Fluorescence Tomography (CFT) is a powerful imaging tool for neuroscience, where fluorescence reporters can aid in visualization of cell tracking, drug delivery, and pharmacodynamics in the brain. CFT can be used to study the physiology, anatomy, and molecular biology of the brain. In addition, neurodegenerative diseases and other pathologies that affect different regions of the brain and neurological pathways can also be visualized.

EMIT Imaging's visualization tools make CFT data easier to explore and collaborate on, with a full range of options to fit different user types and use cases.

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Research examples
Case study · tdTomato expression in non-human primates

Whole-body AAV biodistribution in non-human primates

AAV8 vs. AAV9

Findings: Whole-body CFT imaging of marmosets dosed intravenously with AAV8 or AAV9 expressing tdTomato shows the full spatial pattern of expression, and CFT signal correlates with ddPCR measurements from the same animal.

Common marmoset imaged in 3D after systemic intravenous AAV administration
Fluorescence co-registered with white-light anatomical images
CFT signal correlated with cDNA ddPCR in liver, heart, and muscle
Source: ESGCT 2026 poster. Ciara Finucane et al. View the poster
AAV8 upper body: white light, overlay, and fluorescence
AAV8 upper body: white light, overlay, and fluorescence
AAV8 whole-body MIP
AAV9 whole-body MIP
Case study whole-body GFP expression across neurotropic AAV serotypes
CBA promoter

Findings: Using 3D Cryo-Fluorescence Tomography, researchers visualized whole-body GFP expression across multiple neurotropic AAV serotypes, revealing remarkable expression throughout the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. By comparing spatial expression patterns across vector designs, researchers gain valuable insight into whole-body transgene expression at sub-organ level resolution, supporting the development of next-generation gene therapies.

Fluorescent reporter: eGFP (Ex:Em 489 nm:509 nm)
Samples embedded in D31 Dark OCT and sliced along the horizontal plane
Imaged at 35 µm pixel resolution with 470 nm excitation and a 511/20 nm emission filter
3D whole-body MIP
Anatomical (left) and fluorescence (right) flythrough
Anatomy (top), overlay (center), fluorescence (bottom)
Anatomy (top), overlay (center), fluorescence (bottom)
Case study · isolated tissue expression at 20 µm

Intracerebral GFP-expressing cell injection

Higher resolution

Findings: Imaging of isolated tissue samples with CFT provides higher resolution than whole-body. In this example, a mouse head was intracerebrally injected with GFP-expressing cells and imaged at 20 µm.

Imaging of mouse head at 20 µm, higher resolution than whole-body CFT
Unlike in vivo fluorescence, CFT works well with GFP
CFT is an ex vivo imaging technique and therefore not hindered by autofluorescence
Images courtesy of Hernando Lopez Bertoni, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Green arrow marks the site of injection.
Anatomical RGB white-light
Anatomical RGB white-light
Fluorescence image
Fluorescence image
Case study · enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)

Cell-specific fluorescence reporter imaging

GAD67-GFP

Findings: GAD67-GFP (line G42) mice selectively express enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in the parvalbumin (Pv)-expressing subclass of basket interneurons (soma, dendrites, and axons) and also in putative presynaptic boutons.

Anatomical RGB white-light
Anatomical RGB white-light
Fluorescence image
Fluorescence image

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Open the neurotropic AAV dataset and page through slices, toggle fluorescence channels, and rotate the reconstructed volume. Nothing to download and nothing to install.

Neurotropic AAV serotypesCNS and peripheral expression Open
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