A Clearing Method for Three-Dimensional Imaging of Adipose Tissue.

ABSTRACT

Adipose tissue is not simply a collection of lipid storing fat cells, but is now recognized to be a complex tissue with a central role in whole body energy homeostasis. In order to understand how adipocytes and associated cell types interact in normal physiology and in pathological states like obesity, it is critical to obtain a holistic view of cells and structures in three dimensions. To that end, we have adapted the iDISCO/iDISCO+ tissue clearing protocol to facilitate the delipidation of fat tissues, while still maintaining their architecture. We describe here this method, that we refer to as Adipo-Clear, highlighting key steps in the protocol as well as important technical considerations. This versatile approach can provide entirely new insights into adipose tissue biology in health and disease.