Exploring contrast-enhancing staining agents for studying adipose tissue through contrast-enhanced computed tomography.

Contrast-enhanced computed tomography offers a nondestructive approach to studying adipose tissue in 3D. Several contrast-enhancing staining agents (CESAs) have been explored, whereof osmium tetroxide (OsO4) is the most popular nowadays. However, due to the toxicity and volatility of the conventional OsO4, alternative CESAs with similar staining properties were desired. Hf-WD 1:2 POM and Hexabrix have proven effective for structural analysis of adipocytes using contrast-enhanced computed tomography but fail to provide chemical information. This study introduces isotonic Lugol's iodine (IL) as an alternative CESA for adipose tissue analysis, comparing its staining potential with Hf-WD 1:2 POM and Hexabrix in murine caudal vertebrae and bovine muscle tissue strips. Single and sequential staining protocols were compared to assess the maximization of information extraction from each sample. The study investigated interactions, distribution, and reactivity of iodine species towards biomolecules using simplified model systems and assesses the potential of the CESA to provide chemical information. (Bio)chemical analyses on whole tissues revealed that differences in adipocyte gray values post-IL staining were associated with chemical distinctions between bovine muscle tissue and murine caudal vertebrae. More specific, a difference in the degree of unsaturation of fatty acids was identified as a likely contributor, though not the sole determinant of gray value differences. This research sheds light on the potential of IL as a CESA, offering both structural and chemical insights into adipose tissue composition.

Young minds, deeper insights: a recap of the BMAS Summer School 2023, ranging from basic research to clinical implications of bone marrow adipose tissue.

Bone marrow adiposity (BMA) is a rapidly growing yet very young research field that is receiving worldwide attention based on its intimate relationship with skeletal and metabolic diseases, as well as hematology and cancer. Moreover, increasing numbers of young scientists and students are currently and actively working on BMA within their research projects. These developments led to the foundation of the International Bone Marrow Adiposity Society (BMAS), with the goal to promote BMA knowledge worldwide, and to train new generations of researchers interested in studying this field. Among the many initiatives supported by BMAS, there is the BMAS Summer School, inaugurated in 2021 and now at its second edition. The aim of the BMAS Summer School 2023 was to educate and train students by disseminating the latest advancement on BMA. Moreover, Summer School 2023 provided suggestions on how to write grants, deal with negative results in science, and start a laboratory, along with illustrations of alternative paths to academia. The event was animated by constructive and interactive discussions between early-career researchers and more senior scientists. In this report, we highlight key moments and lessons learned from the event.