Micron-resolution fiber mapping in histology independent of sample preparation

Detailed knowledge of the brain’s nerve fiber network is crucial for understanding its function in health and disease. However, mapping fibers with high resolution remains prohibitive in most histological sections because state-of-the-art techniques are incompatible with their preparation. Here, we present a micron-resolution light-scattering-based technique that reveals intricate fiber networks independent of sample preparation for extended fields of view. We uncover fiber structures in both label-free and stained, paraffin-embedded and deparaffinized, newly-prepared and archived, animal and human brain tissues – including whole-brain sections from the BigBrain atlas. We identify altered microstructures in demyelination and hippocampal neurodegeneration and show key advantages over diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, polarization microscopy, and structure tensor analysis. We also reveal structures in non-brain tissues – including muscle, bone, and blood vessels. Our cost-effective, v..., Sample preparation
Whole human brain (BigBrain) sections
Two human brains, obtained within 24 hours after death and without neurological disorders, were fixed in 4% formaldehyde, dehydrated in increasing alcohol series (80%, 90%, 96%, 100% ethanol for at least one week each), embedded in a solvent (chloroform) for one week, and embedded in 57-60°C paraffin solution for two months. After hardening, the brains were coronally cut into 20 µm-thin sections from anterior to posterior with a large-scale microtome (Leica SM2500 Microtome) and mounted on a 37°C heat plate in gelatin solution. The sections were placed in a decreasing alcohol series to remove the paraffin and then placed in a staining solution to highlight neuronal cell bodies: the sections of the first brain (30 years old, male) were stained with silver following the protocol of Merker (53); the sections of the second brain (71 years old, male) were stained with Cresyl-violet. After staining, the sections were again dehydrated in..., , # Micron-resolution fiber mapping in histology independent of sample preparation

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.02v6wwqb2](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.02v6wwqb2)

This dataset includes all raw figures of the data presented in the manuscript \"*Micron-resolution fiber mapping in histology independent of sample preparation*\".

## Description of the data and file structure

Each file is named under the Figure number and panel in which it is presented in the manuscript. Figure_SX refers to supplementary figures.

All brain image files are in .tiff format, except the SupplementaryMovie1.gif.

深入了解大脑的神经纤维网络对于理解其在健康与疾病状态下的功能至关重要。然而，由于最先进的技术与其制备过程不兼容，在大多数组织学切片中进行高分辨率纤维成像仍然具有挑战性。本文提出了一种基于光散射的微米分辨率技术，该技术可在大视野下揭示复杂的纤维网络，且不受样本制备过程的限制。我们在无标记与染色、石蜡包埋与脱蜡、新制备与存档的动物及人类脑组织中均发现了纤维结构，包括来自BigBrain图谱的全脑切片。我们发现了脱髓鞘及海马神经退行性病变中的微结构改变，并展示了该技术相对于扩散磁共振成像、偏振显微镜及结构张量分析的关键优势。我们具有成本效益的，v...，样本制备

# 不受样本制备限制的组织学微米分辨率纤维成像

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.02v6wwqb2](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.02v6wwqb2)

本数据集包含手稿《不受样本制备限制的组织学微米分辨率纤维成像》中所有呈现数据的原始图像。

## 数据与文件结构描述

每个文件均根据其在手稿中出现的图号及图版命名。Figure_SX代表补充图。

所有脑图像文件均为.tiff格式，SupplementaryMovie1.gif除外。