Visualization of the carotid body in situ in fixed human carotid bifurcations using a xylene-based tissue clearing method.

The anatomy of the carotid body (CB) and its nerve supply are important, because it is a potential therapeutic target for treatment of various clinical conditions. Visualization of the CB in situ in fixed human anatomical specimens is hampered by obscuring adipose and connective tissues. We developed a tissue clearing method to optimize identification of the CB.