Image-based investigation of developmental process of zebrafish by dynamic optical coherence tomography

We proposed a non-invasive imaging method to overcome the limitations of current imaging techniques for studying development process in zebrafish. This study utilizes optical coherence tomography (OCT) for a cross-sectional investigation on larval zebrafish development from two to five weeks post-fertilization. By generating multi-contrast images, including dynamic, polarization-sensitive, and scattering OCT, we successfully visualized the tissue development process in vivo without labels. Our findings clearly reveal the dynamic progression of skin stripe formation, and the development of the vasculature around the spine, demonstrating the potential of OCT as a powerful tool for non-invasive, real-time monitoring of tissue development.