Developmental processes can be driven by long-range interactions that involve multiple distantly located cells, tissues or organs, implying a need to study and visualise development at the whole-organism level. However, current approaches to whole-organism microscopy are typically limited to imaging from one side and preclude imaging of organisms that obtain oxygen by ventilation. To overcome these drawbacks, Olivier Renaud, Yohanns Bellaïche, Philippe Girard and colleagues establish a novel approach called MuViScopy. This technique is based on confocal microscopy and incorporates sample rotation along the anterior-posterior axis and an increase in the number of optical paths for imaging at multiple views. By mounting samples on a capillary or metal rod using sticky tape or dental glue, the authors can rotate samples and visualise various tissues of the Drosophila pupa at different magnifications and obtain high-quality 360° views. These mounting methods also allow for sufficient ventilation to image the entire pupal development with high viability. Furthermore, the development of internal tissues, such as muscles within the dorsal thorax, can be visualised. Lastly, the authors demonstrate that MuViScopy is able to simultaneously image the development of both the wing and the dorsal thorax in the same animal. Together, these findings suggest that MuViScopy could provide an opportunity to visualise developmental processes at the whole-organism scale in animals that require ventilation for gas exchange.
