Laboratory phase-contrast nanotomography of unstained Bombus terrestris compound eyes

• Imaging the visual systems of bumblebees and other pollinating insects may increase understanding of their dependence on specific habitats and how they will be affected by climate change. Current high-resolution imaging methods are either limited to two dimensions (light- and electron microscopy) or have limited access (synchrotron radiation x-ray tomography). For x-ray imaging, heavy metal stains are often used to increase contrast. Here, we present micron-resolution imaging of compound eyes of buff-tailed bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) using a table-top x-ray nanotomography (nano-CT) system. By propagation-based phase-contrast imaging, the use of stains was avoided and the microanatomy could more accurately be reconstructed than in samples stained with phosphotungstic acid or osmium tetroxide. The findings in the nano-CT images of the compound eye were confirmed by comparisons with light- and transmission electron microscopy of the same sample and finally, comparisons to synchrotron radiation tomography as well as to a commercial micro-CT system were done.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Radiologi och bildbehandling (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

bumblebee

compound eyes

laboratory nano-CT

phase contrast

system comparison

glucose

glutaraldehyde

nanotube

osmium tetraoxide

paraformaldehyde

phosphotungstic acid

acceleration

Article

basement membrane

Bombus terrestris

comparative study

compound eye

controlled study

electric field

electron microscopy

histology

illumination

image processing

micro-computed tomography

nonhuman

phase contrast microscopy

photoreceptor cell

reconstruction algorithm

signal noise ratio

transmission electron microscopy

animal

bee

devices

laboratory

procedures

synchrotron

x-ray computed tomography

Animals

Bees

Laboratories

Microscopy

Phase-Contrast

Osmium Tetroxide

Synchrotrons

Tomography

X-Ray Computed

X-Ray Microtomography

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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