This Is Your Skin on Cryo-Electron Tomography

December 11, 2007

For the first time, scientists have produced 3D images of human skin cells at a molecular resolution. This sounds really sciency and it is, but the images are gorgeous and you should have a look. Because this is what you're made of.

Until now, it's been difficult to image cellular components like proteins because other imaging techniques require that living tissue be treated with chemicals or coated in metal, which can alter the sample. This research, conducted by Achilleas     Frangakis, group leader at European Molecular Biology Lab uses a technique called cryo-electron tomography. Basically, they instantly freeze the tissue and then take pictures of it from different directions and then use a computer to compile those images into a 3D rendering.

The image above shows a human skin cell. Different colors represent different cellular organelles: cell-cell contact [sandy brown], nucleus and nuclear envelope [blue] with pores [red], microtubules [green], mitochondria [purple], and endoplasmic reticulum [steel blue].

This image shows cadherin molecules, proteins that ensure that cells within tissues are bound together.

You can read more about the research here, or get the academic paper here.

Comments

[Chris Davis]

The skin cell tomograph is suitable for framing. I'd hang it on my wall. Seriously.