Beauty of Microscopy

This is a blog curating photo and video micrographs from around the internet. Almost all images fall under either a Creative Commons license or are in the public domain. Images that are public domain or Creative Commons-licensed are tagged as such. Follow...

[beautyofmicroscopy]

One more from Rose Spear, via Engineering at Cambridge: “5Fibrin II”

“Human mesenchymal stem cells attached to fibrin (5 mg/mL) within a porous network of ferritic stainless steel intended for implant coatings. The image was taken with a confocal laser scanning microscope. Cell components were fluorescently stained for actin filaments (green) and nuclei (blue). Fibres (red) were imaged in reflectance mode. Fibrin was studied as a way to improve cell attachment in the optimal regions for magneto-mechanical strain transmission to cells in the networks. The cells were observed both on the surface and junctions of the fibres and in the regions between the fibres. Image modifications: ImageJ was used to overlap images filtered for the light wavelength for each fluorescent stain. Submitted by Rose Spear”

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More stem-cell coating microscopy from Rose Spear, via Engineering at Cambridge: “10 Fibrin”

“Human mesenchymal stem cells attached to fibrin (10 mg/mL) within a porous network of ferritic stainless steel intended for implant coatings. The image was taken with a confocal laser scanning microscope. Cell components were fluorescently stained for actin filaments (green) and nuclei (blue). Fibres (red) were imaged in reflectance mode. Fibrin was studied as a way to improve cell attachment in the optimal regions for magneto-mechanical strain transmission to cells in the networks. The cells were observed both on the surface and junctions of the fibres and in the regions between the fibres. Image modifications: ImageJ was used to overlap images filtered for the light wavelength for each fluorescent stain. Submitted by Rose Spear”

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From the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, via NIH: “Embryonic smooth muscle cell”

“Embryonic smooth muscle cell. Immuno-fluorescently labeled actin cytoskeleton (green) and vinculin in cell adhesions (blue). Laser scanning confocal microscopy.

Credit: National Institute of Dental and CraniofacialResearch, National Institutes of Health”

[beautyofmicroscopy]

To summarize, this beautiful image depicts stem cells attached to a network of ferritic steel. This is used for coating implants, I imagine because it dramatically lowers the rate of rejection or integration issues. Also, it’s just amazing to look at.

From Rose Spear, via Engineering at Cambridge: “5Fibrin I”

“Human mesenchymal stem cells attached to fibrin (5 mg/mL) within a porous network of ferritic stainless steel intended for implant coatings. The image was taken with a confocal laser scanning microscope. Cell components were fluorescently stained for actin filaments (green) and nuclei (blue). Fibres (red) were imaged in reflectance mode. Fibrin was studied as a way to improve cell attachment in the optimal regions for magneto-mechanical strain transmission to cells in the networks. The cells were observed both on the surface and junctions of the fibres and in the regions between the fibres. Image modifications: ImageJ was used to overlap images filtered for the light wavelength for each fluorescent stain. Submitted by Rose Spear”

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From S. Gattolin via Duncan Hull, “The tonoplast intrinsic protein in Arabidopsis roots”

“Imaging of the tonoplast intrinsic protein in Arabidopsis roots.

Some members of the Arabidopsis tonoplast intrinsic protein (TIP) family are predicted to be expressed in root tissues. In 8 day old Arabidopsis roots, TIP2-1 (delta-TIP1) was localized in a small region at the base of lateral roots (green). TIP2-1 (delta-TIP1) was fused to a yellow fluorescent protein and root cell walls were stained with propidium iodide (red), and staining visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy.

CC-licensed picture taken from: S. Gattolin et al., BMC Plant Biology 2009, 9:133″

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From Sarah Knox via ZEISS Microscopy, “Mouse Dorsal Root Ganglion”

“Fluorescence confocal image of a mouse dorsal root ganglion using fluorophores Cy3 (neurotubulin) and Cy2 (cell bodies). Specimen: Sarah Knox, NIDCR. Imaging system: LSM 710www.zeiss.com/lsm710″

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From ZEISS Microscopy, “Rat kidney”

A different capture than the previous one.

“Confocal laser scanning microscopy of rat kidney. Tiles, stitched together with ZEN software to generate hi-res image.www.zeiss.com/lsm”

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From Dr. Jan Michels via ZEISS Microscopy, “Temora longicornis”

“ Ventral view of a copepod. Imaged with ZEISS LSM 700. Courtesy of Dr. Jan Michels, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany. www.geomar.de”

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From ZEISS Microscopy, “Mouse Kidney Multiphoton 3D shadow projection”

“3D shadow projection image captured with LSM 7 MP two-photon confocal microscope and 20x water dipping objective. Freshly-dissected embryonic day 16.5 fluorescent mouse kidneys backfilled with Alexa 647 and rhodamine dextran dyes marking lumen. Image courtesy of Robert M. Kao, PhD, and Andrew P. McMahon, PhD; McMahon Laboratory, Dept. of Regenerative Medicine, Broad-CIRM Center, Keck School of Medicine, Univ. of Southern California.”

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From ZEISS Microscopy, “Rat Kidney”

“Confocal laser scanning microscopy of rat kidney. Tiles, stitched together with ZEN software to generate hi-res image.”

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From ZEISS Microscopy, “Neurons, confocal fluorescence microscopy”

“Primary neuronal cultures stained for Bornavirus antigens and Tetanus toxin. Our goal was to determine which axonal transport pathway is used by Bornavirus for its efficient spread in neurons. Here, we tested the hypothesis that Bornavirus may use the same transport pathway as tetanus toxin. To this end, primary culture of neurons were infected with Bornavirus, follow by incubation with fluorescent tetanus toxin (red). After fixation of the cultures, Bornavirus phosphoprotein (green) and ßIII tubulin (blue), a neuronal marker, were detected by immunofluorescence analysis. LSM 710, Caroline Charlier and Daniel Dunia, CPTP Toulouse, France.”

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From Swharden, “Immunohistochemistry”

“A myenteric ganglion of a mouse with tyrosine hydroxylase (denoting sympathetic autonomic axons) labeled by immunohistochemistry (green) acquired with a laser scanning confocal microscope. Blue color is UV-range autofluorescence from postganglionic neurons.”

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An interactive journey into the history and technology of electron microscopy

If you were interested in learning more about the scanning electron microscope, for your reading pleasure.

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Not a river of toxic waste on an alien planet.

Rat tongue.

From ZEISS Microscopy:

“Thin section of rat tongue tissue, confocal laser scanning microscopy of autofluorescence with ZEISS LSM 710. Tile images stitched together with ZEN software to generate hi-res image.www.zeiss.com/lsm”

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Cancer is a horrific disease, and provides some incredible opportunities for microscopy. 

By Howard Vindin, “Depth Coded Phalloidin Stained Actin Filaments Cancer Cell”

“A z-projection of an osteosarcoma cell phalloidin stained to visualise actin filaments. The image was taken on a confocal microscope and the subsequent deconvolution was done using an experimentally derived point spread function.“

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Last cool thing from FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (though they have plenty more awesome photos you should go check out): “Pleurosigma sp (scanning electron micrograph)”

“Pleurosigma is a genus of small, pennate (feather-shaped), one-celled organisms belonging to a group of algae known as diatoms. The cell walls of these glass-encased diatoms form a unique “S” shape that makes them quite distinct from other diatom genera.Pleurosigma is nontoxic, and no adverse effects from a bloom of these cells have been reported.”

[beautyofmicroscopy]

Continuing the trend of cool stuff from FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute: “Thalassiosira sp (scanning electron micrograph)”

“Thalassiosira is a single-cell organism alga belonging to the group called diatoms. Diatoms are unique among phytoplankton in having a glasslike exterior made of silica. Thalassiosira is a chain-forming diatom and uses organic filaments or mucilage, a gluey substance, to attach one cell to the next. Large concentrations of Thalassiosiracells, called blooms, can be found year-round in Florida waters. Blooms can discolor the water yellow to brown and may produce a foam. Thalassiosira does not produce a toxin, but blooms can cause fish kills by depleting the available dissolved oxygen in the surrounding water or by clogging the fish’s gills.”