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High School Student with a Traditionally Underrepresented Background

HS Poster

Poster 132 - Quantification of 3D in vivo model of embryonic mice during late pregnancy

Saturday, October 26, 2024
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST
Location: Exhibit Hall E, F & G

Introduction: Computational models offer a powerful approach to unraveling the complexities of birth, which can be difficult to study experimentally in a safe and ethical manner. In order to create models that can simulate the complex process of pregnancy and birth, properties of both the mother and the baby, as well as their interactions, must be thoroughly characterized. To this end, we measured the geometric properties of embryonic mice in vivo during late pregnancy using high resolution magnetic resolution imaging (MRI) scans. While murine maternal tissues and embryos have been studied ex vivo, embryos in vivo, which are constrained by the mother’s pelvic organs and other embryos in the same litter, have not been well characterized. To our knowledge this is the first study to quantify the 3-dimensional geometries of the murine gestational sacs.

Materials and

Methods: MRI scans from three pregnant female (3-6 months old) mice (CD-1) were obtained using T-1 weighted MRI along the axial and sagittal planes during late pregnancy (gestation day: 16-17), as described in Suarez et al. 2024 [1]. Collected images were analyzed using 3D Slicer (https://www.slicer.org/) where individual gestational sacs, including their components such as the placenta and embryo, were segmented. The volumes of the segmentations were then computed using 3D Slicer’s Segment Statistics tool.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions: Mouse 1, 2 and 3 had 14, 14 and 15 embryos respectively. In Mouse 1 and 2, there was an even distribution of embryos between both the right and left uterine horns, however in Mouse 3 there was a skew with 10 pups in the left horn compared to only 5 in the right uterine horn. Despite this uneven distribution, there was no significant difference in the size of the embryos or gestational sacs between the left and right horn in Mouse 3, nor in any of the other mice. The gestational sacs and embryos of Mouse 2 were much larger than those in Mouse 1 and 3. While previous micro-ultrasound studies have measured the lengths of the murine embryos [2], this is the first study to provide detailed in vivo 3D geometries and volume measurements of gestational sacs, embryos, and placenta. The development of 3D complex models, like those presented here, is crucial to accurately simulate pregnancy and delivery. These models will serve as a springboard for future studies that aim to investigate human pregnancy-related complications such as maternal trauma, preterm births, and pelvic floor disorders.

Acknowledgements (Optional): Funding was provided by National Science Foundation Grant No. 2053851.

References (Optional): [1] Suarez, A. C., Gimenez, C. J., Russell, S. R., Wang, M., Munson, J. M., Myers, K. M., Miller, K. S., Abramowitch, S. D., & De Vita, R. (2024). Scientific Reports, 14(1), 586.
[2] Mu, J., Slevin, J. C., Qu, D., McCormick, S., & Adamson, S. L. (2008). Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 6(1), 34.