Studying placental functions is crucial for understanding pregnancy complications. However, imaging placenta is challenging due to its depth, volume, and motion distortions. In this study, we have developed an implantable placenta window in mice that enables high-resolution photoacoustic and fluorescence imaging of placental development throughout the pregnancy. The placenta window exhibits excellent transparency for light and sound. By combining the placenta window with ultrafast functional photoacoustic microscopy, we were able to investigate the placental development during the entire mouse pregnancy, providing unprecedented spatiotemporal details. Consequently, we examined the acute responses of the placenta to alcohol consumption and cardiac arrest, as well as chronic abnormalities in an inflammation model. We have also observed viral gene delivery at the single-cell level and chemical diffusion through the placenta by using fluorescence imaging. Our results demonstrate that intravital imaging through the placenta window can be a powerful tool for studying placenta functions and understanding the placental origins of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

中文翻译：

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小鼠胎盘纵向活体成像

研究胎盘功能对于了解妊娠并发症至关重要。然而，由于其深度、体积和运动扭曲，胎盘成像具有挑战性。在这项研究中，我们在小鼠体内开发了一种植入式胎盘窗，可以对整个怀孕期间的胎盘发育进行高分辨率光声和荧光成像。胎盘窗对光和声音具有出色的透明度。通过将胎盘窗与超快功能光声显微镜相结合，我们能够研究整个小鼠妊娠期间的胎盘发育，提供前所未有的时空细节。因此，我们检查了胎盘对饮酒和心脏骤停的急性反应，以及炎症模型中的慢性异常。我们还通过荧光成像观察了单细胞水平的病毒基因传递和化学扩散通过胎盘。我们的结果表明，通过胎盘窗进行活体成像可以成为研究胎盘功能和了解不良妊娠结局的胎盘起源的有力工具。