Three dimensional reconstruction methods on the microstructure of the rat pyramid tract

Objective:To explore the applicated methods for 3D visualization model of the microstructure of the rat neural fasciculus.Methods:The pyramidal tracts of the rat brain were revealed by the Luxol Fast Blue(LFB) staining method on the serial brain sections.The 2D images were obtained by the partitional microphotography on each brain section.The images of each brain section were stitched and registrated according to the three-axis location system in the Photoshop7.0 software.The registrated images were imported into the 3D-DOCTOR 4.0 reconstruction system to make the surface reconstruction and the volume reconstruction of the brain and the pyramidal tracts.The reconstructed pyramidal tract models were visulized in the 3DMAX8.0 software.Results:The whole shape of the brain and the pyramidal tract were reconstructed clearly and vividly,the reconstructed microstructure of the pyramidal tracts can been observed in different angles at any cross section,the 3D stereopathway of pyramidal tracts was dynamically displayed.Conclusion:These results show that the microstructure of pyramidal tract and its stereopathway in the brain can be actually and acurately reconstructed and re-appeared by the three axis location system based on the serial sections,thus provides an acurate 3D morphological base for the research on the neural foasciculus damage and repairing.