Picture of the Month
Here we present images acquired using MIC instruments. For suggestions, comments and to submit your picture to be featured here, please contact Stan Vitha (vitha@mic.tamu.edu, tel. 845-1607)
June 2009:
Pollen of Artemisia (Asteraceae). Pollen grains were extracted and embedded in 2,2-thiodiethanol medium and imaged in a photon-counting mode on an Olympus FV1000 confocal microscope equipped with a 100x/1.4 oil immersion objective. The 3D image stack was surface-rendered using Osirix software. Sample preparation and imaging By Stanislav Vitha (MIC), rendering by Amen Zwa (Gannontech Inc.). Scale bar = 10 micrometers.
April 2009:
Drosophila brain immunofluorescently labeled to show localization of circadian-clock proteins. Projections of 3D confocal image stacks. Olympus FV1000 confocal microscope, 20x/0.85 oil immersion objective. Images courtesy Jerry Houl (jhoul@mail.bio.tamu.edu), the Hardin lab, Department of Biology.
February 2009:
Confocal image of Drosophila melanogaster polytene chromosomes from whole mount salivary glands. Anti-fibrillarin antibody was used to detect the nucleolus (red) and DAPI to stain the DNA. Image by Silvana Paredes (Department of Biology, PI: Keith Maggert http://www.bio.tamu.edu/FACMENU/FACULTY/MaggertK.htm)
October/November 2008:
Interferometric micrograph of oil aerosol droplets on a glass slide. The micrograph allows to measure the droplet height by counting the number of interference fringes. Each black fringe corressponds to height step of 1/2 wavelength, in this case ~350 nm. The image was acquired using a Nikon 50x DI Mirau-type interferometric objective mounted on Zeiss Axiophot microscope. Incident light used for illumination was filtered using a 650 nm long-pass filter. Scale bar = 10 micrometers. Image by Stanislav Vitha, MIC.
September 2008:
A hand cross-section of transgenic rice stem histochemically stained for beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter activity (blue dye indicates sites with GUS activity). Zeiss Axiophot microscope, 10x/0.3 objective, DXM1200 color CCD camera. Scale bar = 100 micrometers. Sample courtesy Dr. Chandra Emani, IDMB, rice biotechnology group (http://www.idmb.tamu.edu/hallslab/monocot.shtm). Sectioning and imaging by Stan Vitha, MIC.
August 2008:
Confocal 3D imaging of beta-glucuronidase (GUS) histochemical staining in Arabidopsis thaliana root tips. The blue reaction product resulting form the indigogenic histochemical reaction exhibits fluorescence near 700 nm and is thus amendable to 3D confocal imaging. The GUS staining is predominantly present in the root cap and rhizodermis. Olympus FV1000 confocal microscope, 60x/1.2 water imemrsion objective, excitation by 633 nm laser. Sample courtesy Sonia Iriyogen, W. Versaw lab (Biology, http://www.bio.tamu.edu/FACMENU/FACULTY/VersawW.htm). Image acquired by Stan Vitha.
Click on the image to view the 3D animation (Quicktime movie file).
July 2008:
A crystal of zeolite imaged on the JEOL 6400 scanning electron microscope at 5,000x magnification, 15,000 volt accelerating voltage, and 16mm working distance. Image by Dr. Michael Pendelton, MIC.
June 2008:
Transient expression of GFP-tagged proteins in tomato protoplasts. The 3D image was acquired using Olympus FV1000 confocal microscope, 60x/1.2 water immersion objective. Green = GFP, red = chloroplasts. Image width is 370 um. Original image data courtesy Maria Julissa Ek-Ramos, PhD.,
Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics; http://devarennelab.tamu.edu/
May 2008:
April 2008:
Surface topology of a 3D resolution test specimen. Reflected light confocal data. Olympus FV1000 confocal microscope, 40x/0.6 dry objective. Topological projection of the confocal dataset was visualized with Surface3D plugin in ImageJ software. The square wells in the specimen are 200 nm deep. Image by Stan Vitha.
March 2008:
Botryococcus braunii colonial microalgae were crushed, releasing accumulated hydrocarbons stored in the extracellular matrix. Sample courtesy of Taylor Weiss (T. Devarenne Lab, Dept. of Biochemistry and Biophysics). Differential Interference contrast image was acquired on Zeiss Axiophot microscope, using PlanApo 100x/1.3 oil imm. objective, by Stan Vitha.
