Three-dimensional microCT imaging of mouse development from early post-implantation to early postnatal stages

• MicroCT is suitable for 3D imaging of mouse development from early post-implantation to early postnatal development.
• Comparable resolution of E12.5 and E9.5 embryos acquired on microCT to OPT.
• Preserve extra-embryonic connections by imaging within yolk sac and decidua.

In this work, we report the use of iodine-contrast microCT to perform high-throughput 3D morphological analysis of mouse embryos and neonates between embryonic day 8.5 to postnatal day 3, with high spatial resolution up to 3 µm/voxel. We show that mouse embryos at early stages can be imaged either within extra embryonic tissues such as the yolk sac or the decidua without physically disturbing the embryos. This method enables a full, undisturbed analysis of embryo turning, allantois development, vitelline vessels remodeling, yolk sac and early placenta development, which provides increased insights into early embryonic lethality in mutant lines. Moreover, these methods are inexpensive, simple to learn and do not require substantial processing time, making them ideal for high throughput analysis of mouse mutants with embryonic and early postnatal lethality.

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