目的: 本实验选取大鼠胸主动脉为研究对象, 探讨定量偏光影像技术对双折光性物质的成像特点与适用研究领域。方法: 采用Abrio液晶偏光影像系统在未经染色条件下对青年和衰老大鼠胸主动脉纤维结构进行观察, 然后对主动脉切片进行苦味酸天狼猩红染色, 对比Abrio和传统偏振光技术成像的差别。结果: 较传统偏振光显微镜不同, Abrio可以对纤维双折射的方位角和光程差进行定量分析。在未经染色的条件下, Abrio可对大鼠胸主动脉中具有双折光性的纤维结构清晰成像, 而传统偏光显微镜在未经染色条件下不能给出有意义的信息。经苦味酸天狼猩红染色后, 对比传统偏振光技术, Abrio使成像不受纤维排列方向和人为因素的影响, 较为完整地反映主动脉中纤维的结构及分布情况。结论: Abrio液晶偏光影像技术能够实现对样本双折光的强弱及方向的定性和定量分析, 在未经染色的条件下给出微观结构信息, 适合于心血管疾病的检测与评估, 可拓展应用面宽, 将在未来生物医药领域中体现更大的价值。

In this study, thoracic aorta sections of rat aging animal model were used to explore the potential application of Abrio imaging system in the research of aging process. Firstly, the same unstained sections were observed using both an Abrio imaging system and a polarization microscope. Secondly, the same sections were stained with picric-sirius red, a collagen specific stain, and observed again using both the Abrio and polarization microscope. The difference between these two methods was compared. The results showed that Abrio imaging system clearly displayed the structure of fibers in unstained thoracic aorta sections, while polarization microscope gives only fragmented information. The sample is then stained with picric-sirius red and imaged with both the Abrio and the polarization microscope. The Abrio images are not affected by fiber orientations and are free from artifacts. The Abrio results show that retardance of the collagen fibers was greater in thoracic aorta of the elder rats than the young rats. As a conclusion, Abrio imaging system is a non-invasive, nondestructive technique for observing birefringence structure in tissues. As a quantitative method, it is suitable for the detection and assessment of the cardiovascular disease. It will have great value in the research of biological medicine in the future.