Quantification of sympathetic hyperinnervation and denervation after myocardial infarction by three-dimensional assessment of the cardiac sympathetic network in cleared transparent murine hearts
Fig 2
Three-dimensional (3D) distribution of sympathetic nerves and coronary vessels in the heart.
(A) X-Y plane image of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH, green)-stained heart sample. Sufficient transparency is achieved, and the transmural distribution of sympathetic nerves is visualized. (B) 3D images of TH (green)-stained and α-smooth muscle actin (red)-stained heart samples. (C) A higher magnified view of the boxed region in B. Cardiac nerves distributed along the epicardial surface with nerve branches penetrating into the myocardium and wrapping around coronary vessels. Images are obtained using a light-sheet microscopy (Lightsheet Z.1, Carl Zeiss). Scale bars represent 500 μm.