Utilization of Non-Specific Staining to Visualise Liver Vasculature in Mice

Histological identification of morphological alterations are key indicators of functional defects. For example, liver disease which compromises perfusion and consequently function, is very often associated with abnormal tissue microvasculature. Traditionally an anti-platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1/ CD31) antibody is utilized to visualize the vasculature, however in mouse liver this does not show the entire vasculature. The sinusoidal endothelial cells are a unique subtype of endothelial cells more closely structurally and functionally related to lymphatic vessels. Unlike other vessels, during postnatal development liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) downregulate PECAM-1 levels to facilitate their high permeability [1]. Therefore to evaluate sinusoidal defects, another marker is required. Here we present a simple, effective and cheap method to visualise the entire liver vasculature utilization ‘nonspecific’ staining by an Fc antibody fragment (Figure 1).