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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.09.26.754665

Multi-parametric ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging for myelination in the developing mouse brain

Lee, C. H.·Minteer, J.·Liang, Z.·Shin, S.-H.·Kim, Y.·Zhang, J.
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Abstract

Existing MRI-based markers have limited sensitivity and specificity for assessing myelin in the brain. This study investigated whether multi-parametric MRI could improve myelin mapping in the developing mouse brain. T1, T2, magnetization transfer, and diffusion MRI data were acquired at 7 Tesla from ex vivo myelin-associated oligodendrocyte basic protein (MOBP)-enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) mouse brains at postnatal day 14 (P14), P35, and P56. Serial two-photon tomography data from the same mouse brains were used to quantify myelin content based on the MOBP signal intensity. Although most MR parameters demonstrated significant age-related changes, only a subset correlated strongly with MOBP signals. Partial least squares regression analysis of MRI and MOBP data from the corpus callosum and other brain regions demonstrated that the multi-parametric approach improved myelin mapping in the developing mouse brain. T2 was ranked as the highest contributor to myelin estimation across multiple brain regions.

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Lee, C. H., Minteer, J., Liang, Z., Shin, S.-H., Kim, Y., Zhang, J.. 2026-09-28. Multi-parametric ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging for myelination in the developing mouse brain. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.26.754665

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