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Neuroscience Images

Exploring structure and function of nervous system at a cellular level with Leica Microsystems instruments

Virally labeled neurons (red) and astrocytes (green) in a cortical spheroid derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. THUNDER Model Organism Imagerwith a 2x 0.15 NA objective at 3.4x zoomwas used to produce this 425 μm Z-stack (26 positions), which is presented here as an Extended Depth of Field(EDoF)projection. THUNDER_Imager_Model-Org_Header-Gallery-Neuroscience.jpg

Neuroscience commonly uses microscopy to study the nervous system’s function and understand neurodegenerative diseases.

Neuroscience Images taken with Mica

See how Mica can help scientists to image the human brain in different imaging modes such as Widefield and Confocal.

Mica - Human hippocampus

Piero Rigo at the Francis Crick Institute in London is interested in the development of the human brain from neural stem cells. As part of his work, he looks at the developing human neocortex at gestational week 18. 

Gyrification is observed at the cortical plate, while proliferative neural progenitors, marked by Ki67, MCM2, and SOX2, populate the ventricular-subventricular zone. In the hippocampus, highly proliferative neural stem cells (green) are forming the dentate gyrus. 

Several neural stem cells (green) can be found in a proliferative state, marked by Ki67 (gray) and/or MCM2 (magenta).
Several neural stem cells (green) can be found in a proliferative state, marked by Ki67 (gray) and/or MCM2 (magenta). Left: Fast widefield overview where the mosaic image was acquired using Mica with a PL APO 20x/0.75 CS2 objective in widefield mode. The 300 raw images were acquired in a matter of seconds. Right: The dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in the same sample was acquired with higher resolution in confocal mode without ever moving the sample. Images courtesy of Piero Rigo, PhD Student at the Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.

Neuroscience Images taken with THUNDER Imagers

See how THUNDER Imagers can help imaging cortical region of the human brain, Alzheimer’s plaques and D2 dopamine expression in mouse brain, neural spheroids and crest cells, cranial nerve development, axon regeneration, brain function after injury, disease, or aging.

Mouse brain cortex

Mouse brain cortex displaying 500 nm green fluorescent beads in perivascular space. Blood vessels are stained with WGA lectin conjugated with Alexa 594 fluorophore. Sample courtesy of PhD Mika Kaakinen and M.Sc. Abhishek Singh, Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Finland. Sample imaged by Janne Ylärinne, PhD, Immuno Diagnostic Oy.
Mouse brain cortex displaying 500 nm green fluorescent beads in perivascular space. Blood vessels are stained with WGA lectin conjugated with Alexa 594 fluorophore. Sample courtesy of PhD Mika Kaakinen and M.Sc. Abhishek Singh, Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Finland. Sample imaged by Janne Ylärinne, PhD, Immuno Diagnostic Oy.

Virally labeled neuron

Virally labeled neurons (red) and astrocytes (green) in a cortical spheroid derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. THUNDER Model Organism Imagerwith a 2x 0.15 NA objective at 3.4x zoomwas used to produce this 425 μm Z-stack (26 positions), which is presented here as an Extended Depth of Field (EDoF) projection. The THUNDER Imager Model Organism offers the ability to freely zoom, for easy observation of whole spheres, and distinct regions, for easy screening. Images courtesy of Dr. Fikri Birey from the Dr. Sergiu Pasca laboratory, CA, USA.
Virally labeled neurons (red) and astrocytes (green) in a cortical spheroid derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells. THUNDER Model Organism Imagerwith a 2x 0.15 NA objective at 3.4x zoomwas used to produce this 425 μm Z-stack (26 positions), which is presented here as an Extended Depth of Field (EDoF) projection. The THUNDER Imager Model Organism offers the ability to freely zoom, for easy observation of whole spheres, and distinct regions, for easy screening. Images courtesy of Dr. Fikri Birey from the Dr. Sergiu Pasca laboratory, CA, USA.

Mouse brain expressing of AMPK (red) in Microglia (IBA-1+, green)

Dr Ashok K. Shetty labat Texas A&M University (TAMU) is interested in developing clinically applicable strategies that are efficacious for enhancing brain function after injury, disease, or aging. One of the central areas is developing clinically feasible strategies for improving hippocampal neurogenesis and memory and mood function in aging and Alzheimer’s disease models via stimulation of endogenous neural stem/progenitor cells in neurogenic regions of the brain using drugs and biologics. Lab member Dr Maheedhar Kodali’s latest project is to check expression of AMPK in Microglia (IBA-1+) to know the effects of their investigating compound in aging.

These images show mouse brain expressing of AMPK (red) in Microglia (IBA-1+, green). The images were captured on a THUNDER Imager 3D Cell Culture with a 40x/1.30 oil objective. Both images represent maximum intensity projection of a z stack of 28 planes -total 27um thickness. The image on the left is the raw epifluorescence image, the right is the THUNDER-processed image with LVCC algorithm. Image courtesy of Dr. Maheedhar Kodali, Texas A&M University.
These images show mouse brain expressing of AMPK (red) in Microglia (IBA-1+, green). The images were captured on a THUNDER Imager 3D Cell Culture with a 40x/1.30 oil objective. Both images represent maximum intensity projection of a z stack of 28 planes -total 27um thickness. The image on the left is the raw epifluorescence image, the right is the THUNDER-processed image with LVCC algorithm. Image courtesy of Dr. Maheedhar Kodali, Texas A&M University.

Microglia in hippocampal region

Immunostaining of wild type mouse showing hippocampus CAB region. Staining: Microglia cells (green), Neurons (magenta), Nuclei (cyan). Image courtesy of Jenny Luna-Choconta, Medizinische Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.

Cortical neurons

Cortical neurons cultured in microfluidic chamber for 10 days. Fixation with PFA 4%. Immunofluorescence Tubulin alpha (green), Tau (red), DAPI (blue). Image courtesy of Wei Wang, USA.
Cortical neurons cultured in microfluidic chamber for 10 days. Fixation with PFA 4%. Immunofluorescence Tubulin alpha (green), Tau (red), DAPI (blue). Image courtesy of Wei Wang, USA.

Mouse Brain 1 mm Blood Vessels and nuclei CUBIC

1 mm mouse brain section. CUBIC cleared. Stainded blood vessels and nuclei. Video courtesy of Prof. Xiaowei Li, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China.

Mouse embryonic kidney

Mouse embryonic kidney at day 12.5. E-Cadherin (red), unspecific (green). Sample prepared by MSc Kristen Kurtzeborn and used courtesy of Prof. Satu Kuure, Kidney Development group, University of Helsinki, Finland. Sample imaged by Janne Ylärinne, PhD, Immuno Diagnostic Oy.
Mouse embryonic kidney at day 12.5. E-Cadherin (red), unspecific (green). Sample prepared by MSc Kristen Kurtzeborn and used courtesy of Prof. Satu Kuure, Kidney Development group, University of Helsinki, Finland. Sample imaged by Janne Ylärinne, PhD, Immuno Diagnostic Oy.

Mouse cortical neuron

Mouse cortical neuron. Transgenic GFP (green). Image courtesy of Prof. Hui Guo, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, China.
Mouse cortical neuron. Transgenic GFP (green). Image courtesy of Prof. Hui Guo, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, China.

Adult rat brain

Adult rat brain. Neurons (Alexa Fluor488, green), Astrocytes (GFAP, red), Nuclei (DAPI, blue). Image courtesy of Prof. En Xu, Institute of Neurosciences and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China.

Uncleared human brain organoid

Uncleared human brain organoid. Nucleus (DAPI), Pevimentin (AF488), Dcx (AF568),Pax6 (AF647). Image courtesy by Atria Kavyanifar, M.Sc. (supervised by Prof. Dr. Lie, Prof. Dr. Wiener) University Clinic Erlangen, Germany.

Neuroscience Images taken with STELLARIS confocal platform

Neuroscience studies require a variety of confocal imaging techniques to allow the study of the nervous system. For example, Multiphoton and light sheet techniques allow the study of large and deep tissues,  such as brain sections; STED super-resolution is key to address neuronal spines structure, synaptic plasticity, and protein interactions at the synapse level. Fluorescence lifetime imaging can report on microenvironment changes in calcium and pH.

Gentle 3D live imaging of Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus

Hydractinia expressing eGFP under the control of neurogenesis-related genes label. Imaged with DLS and LIGTHNING.

4 colour live imaging of mouse brain cortex​

Neurodegenerative diseases are usually caused by a combination of different factors. Being able to visualize multiple players at once greatly helps to investigate and understand how different compoonents interact and influence each other. To do this, a microscope that combines deep tissue penetration with spectral flexibility to enable multicolor imaging liek STELLARIS 8 DIVE is the best choice.

Live Mouse Brain cortex
Live Mouse Brain cortex. Images acquired on a multiphoton DIVE microscope. Astrocytes labeled with Sulforhodamine (blue); Microglia labeled with GFP (green), Neurons labeled with YFP (yellow) and bood vessels labeled with Alexa680-Dextran (red). Sample courtesy of LMF, DZNE, Germany 

Multicolor Deep In Vivo Imaging to uncover the interplay of various players in neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases are usually caused by a combination of different factors. Being able to visualize multiple players at once greatly helps to investigate and understand how different compoonents interact and influence each other. To do this, microscope that combines deep tissue penetration with spectral flexibility to enable multicolor imaging like STELLARIS 8 DIVE is the best choice.

Live Mouse Brain cortex: Microglia labeled with GFP (green), Neurons labeled with YFP (yellow) and bood vessels labeled with Alexa680-Dextran (red). Sample courtesy of LMF, DZNE, Germany

Tile scan overview of an unstained paraffin section of an adult Drosophila brain

STELLARIS confocal platform

Tile scan overview of an unstained paraffin section of an adult Drosophila brain.
Tile scan overview of an unstained paraffin section of an adult Drosophila brain. Single channel acquisition of endogenous fluorescence showing intensity image (left) and TauContrast image (right). TauContrast image shows different arrival times for endogenous signals in various parts of the brain. Courtesy of Tong-Wey Koh, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory.

Detail view from a tile scan of an unstained paraffin section of an adult Drosophila brain

STELLARIS confocal platform

Detail view from a tile scan of an unstained paraffin section of an adult Drosophila brain
Detail view from a tile scan of an unstained paraffin section of an adult Drosophila brain. Single channel acquisition of endogenous fluorescence showing intensity image (left) and TauContrast image (right). TauContrast image shows different arrival times for endogenous signals in various parts of the brain. Courtesy of Tong-Wey Koh, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory.

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