Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a promising research tool for brain imaging and developmental biology. Serving as a three-dimensional optical biopsy technique, OCT provides volumetric reconstruction of brain tissues and embryonic structures with micrometer resolution and video rate imaging speed. Functional OCT enables label-free monitoring of hemodynamic and metabolic changes in the brain in vitro and in vivo in animal models. Due to its noninvasiveness nature, OCT enables longitudinal imaging of developing specimens in vivo without potential damage from surgical operation, tissue fixation and processing, and staining with exogenous contrast agents. In this paper, various OCT applications in brain imaging and developmental biology are reviewed, with a particular focus on imaging heart development. In addition, we report findings on the effects of a circadian gene (Clock) and high-fat diet on heart development in Drosophila melanogaster. These findings contribute to our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms connecting circadian genes and obesity to heart development and cardiac diseases.

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用于脑成像和发育生物学的光学相干断层扫描

光学相干断层扫描（OCT）是一种很有前景的脑成像和发育生物学研究工具。作为一种三维光学活检技术，OCT 以微米分辨率和视频速率成像速度提供脑组织和胚胎结构的体积重建。功能性 OCT 能够在动物模型的体外和体内对大脑的血流动力学和代谢变化进行无标记监测。由于其无创性，OCT 能够对体内发育标本进行纵向成像，而不会因外科手术、组织固定和处理以及外源性造影剂染色而造成潜在损害。本文综述了 OCT 在脑成像和发育生物学中的各种应用，特别关注心脏发育成像。此外，我们报告了昼夜节律基因（时钟）和高脂肪饮食对果蝇心脏发育影响的研究结果。这些发现有助于我们了解昼夜节律基因和肥胖与心脏发育和心脏病之间的基本机制。