Virtual Nanoscopy: Exploring Biological Tissue at the Cellular Level
What is Virtual Nanoscopy?
Virtual nanoscopy is a new technology that allows scientists to create zoom-able images of biological tissue at the cellular level. It combines thousands of individual electron microscope images to create a coherent and interactive whole. This allows viewers to explore the structure of tissue in unprecedented detail, from a tissue-level view down to the interior of individual cells.
How Does Virtual Nanoscopy Work?
Virtual nanoscopy begins with collecting thousands of slightly overlapping images using an electron microscope. These images are then stitched together using an automated software program. The program uses metadata on the individual images’ orientation and an algorithm that compares similar features in each image to determine exactly where they should be placed.
The resulting image is a massive file that can be zoomed in and out to reveal different levels of detail. For example, the zebrafish embryo image shown in the article is composed of more than 26,000 individual images and weighs in at a total of 281 gigapixels. This allows viewers to move from a zoomed-out picture of the whole embryo to a detailed view of structures, such as a nucleus, within a specific cell.
Benefits of Virtual Nanoscopy
Virtual nanoscopy offers several benefits over traditional electron microscopy. First, it allows scientists to create a complete, 3D view of a tissue sample. This is in contrast to traditional electron microscopy, which can only capture 2D images of small areas of tissue.
Second, virtual nanoscopy allows scientists to explore tissue samples in a non-destructive way. Traditional electron microscopy requires that samples be preserved in a way that can damage their structure. Virtual nanoscopy, on the other hand, does not require any sample preparation, so it can be used to study live tissue.
Third, virtual nanoscopy is much faster than traditional electron microscopy. It can take hours or even days to collect and process a single electron microscope image. Virtual nanoscopy, on the other hand, can be used to create a complete, 3D image of a tissue sample in a matter of minutes.
Applications of Virtual Nanoscopy
Virtual nanoscopy has a wide range of applications in biological research. It can be used to study the structure of cells, tissues, and organs. It can also be used to track the development of embryos and to investigate the effects of drugs and toxins on cells.
In the article, the researchers used virtual nanoscopy to analyze the zebrafish embryo, human skin tissue, a mouse embryo, and mouse kidney cells. They found that virtual nanoscopy can be used to identify new structures in cells and to track the movement of cells over time.
Conclusion
Virtual nanoscopy is a powerful new tool that is revolutionizing the way scientists study biological tissue. It offers several advantages over traditional electron microscopy, including the ability to create complete, 3D images of tissue samples, to explore tissue samples in a non-destructive way, and to do so much faster than traditional electron microscopy. As a result, virtual nanoscopy is expected to play a major role in biological research in the years to come.
