Work

Protocol to study murine ovarian elasticity and composition in situ by integrating quantitative micro-elastography with light microscopy

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Here, we present a protocol combining quantitative micro-elastography (QME) with transmitted light (TL) and immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy to study ovarian elasticity and composition in situ . We describe steps for excising murine ovaries, acquiring QME scans, and fixing the tissue. Subsequently, the tissue is sectioned and imaged with TL microscopy to locate functional components, such as corpora lutea and follicles, and segment them within the QME data. Finally, IF is used to analyze cell and molecular composition. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Jaeschke et al. 1 • Steps for quantitative micro-elastography to map ovarian tissue elasticity spatially • Guidance on using transmitted light to segment functional components of interest • Procedures for immunofluorescence microscopy to study composition • Instructions for co-registration of data to link tissue stiffness and molecular composition Publisher’s note: Undertaking any experimental protocol requires adherence to local institutional guidelines for laboratory safety and ethics. Here, we present a protocol combining quantitative micro-elastography (QME) with transmitted light (TL) and immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy to study ovarian elasticity and composition in situ . We describe steps for excising murine ovaries, acquiring QME scans, and fixing the tissue. Subsequently, the tissue is sectioned and imaged with TL microscopy to locate functional components, such as corpora lutea and follicles, and segment them within the QME data. Finally, IF is used to analyze cell and molecular composition.

Source: STAR Protocols

DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2026.104434

Authors: Anna Jaeschke, Matt S. Hepburn, Alireza Mowla, Hagen Eckert, Brendan F. Kennedy, Chii Jou Chan