Imaging biomechanics with multimodal Brillouin-OCT system during neural tube morphogenesis

Neural tube closure (NTC) is a highly synchronized morphological process driven by mechanical forces, and any disruptions during this process can lead to neural tube defects (NTDs). However, mechanical properties associated with NTDs are largely unknown. To understand the correlation between NTDs and biomechanical properties, we imaged NTC using multimodal Brillouin microscopy and optical coherence tomography in two mutant mice lines, where the genes Mthfd1l and Fuz were inactivated. We also imaged cerebral organoids cultured in dolutegravir for 10 and 14 days. Our results showed a clear link between NTDs and neural tube biomechanical properties.