Past Galleries

3D co-culture of lymph node-derived fibroblasts

Supervisor: Professor Marie Ranson

Description: Three-dimensional co-culture of lymph node-derived fibroblasts and the patient-derived skin cancer cell line, UW-CSCC2. The cells were stained with the nuclear stain Reddot2 (blue), ActinRed (yellow). The epithelial marker cytokeratin (magenta) allows to distinguish the cell populations. Images were taken on a Leica DMI8 using a 20x objective and post-processed using Leica's Thunder computational clearing. The spheroid diameter is between 130- 150 μm.

WATCH VIDEO: Three dimensional co-culture of lymph node-derived fibroblasts

Membrane-less organelles and GFP-G3BP1 activation

Supervisor: Professor Justin Yerbury

Description: Stress granules are membrane-less organelles that form a dense protein-RNA interaction network in response to various cellular stresses. The central node in this network is G3BP1. Stress granule assembly can be modelled in cells expressing constructs in which the G3BP1 dimerisation domain is replaced with the optogenetic homooligomerisation domain, CRY2 (CRY2-G3BP1). The ability to modulate factors such as light intensity and exposure enables precise control of "opto-granule" formation and avoids undesirable toxicity associated with cellular stresses. Shown is a U2-OS cell line stably expressing GFP-tagged G3BP1, transfected to express mCherry-tagged CRY2-G3BP1. Opto-granule assembly was stimulated by exposure to 450 nm light.

WATCH VIDEO:Membrane-less organelles and GFP-G3BP1 activation

Movie of Nuclear TDP-43 droplets merging

WATCH VIDEO: Nuclear TDP-43 droplets merging

Cannabis Trichomes

Supervisor: Katrina Green

Description: Tiny Trichome, Great Outcome - The glandular trichomes on the buds of green (Left) and purple (Right) cannabis plants under Leica Stereomicroscope THUNDER. These mushroom-shaped trichomes are tiny crystal-like hairs that cover the buds, holding all the good stuff. They are the primary source of cannabis resins including cannabinoids, terpenes and other plant oils within the female inflorescence. The purple cannabis also expresses vast quantities of purple pigments (called anthocyanins and flavonoids) in trichomes, leading to greater therapeutic potential compared to green cannabis due to the role of purple pigments in multiple positive health effects (anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and pro-cognitive effects).

Nuclear TDP-43 granules

Supervisor: Professor Justin Yerbury

Description: TDP-43-GFP HEK293 stable cells showing nuclear TDP-43 granules

Memory pond

Description: Within the brain, neurons are the foundation for complex communication pathways that encode learning and the formation of memories. Electrochemical signals flow through these networks, pooling in the soma (body) of neurons, where they can be imaged to try and understand how neuronal communication changes during aging and disease.

Sensorial Galaxy

Description: Sensorial Galaxy: The peripheral sensory Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons (DRGs) control crucial functions incorporating pain inhibitory signal transmission. The mouse DRGs were isolated from 8 weeks old mouse and were cultured in Poly-D-Lysine coated coverslips. They were immunostained with G-protein Inwardly Rectifying Potassium channel 2 (GIRK2; Alexa Fluor 488), γ-aminobutyric acid type B receptor (GABABR; Alexa Fluor 647) and DAPI (nucleus, blue). The image was obtained using Leica confocal SP8 microscope (40X oil immersion objective). The image represents effective coupling of GIRK2 ion channel and GABABR from the peripheral sensory neurons instrumental for membrane hyperpolarization and neuro-inhibition for pain suppression.

iPSC Heart

Description: Transformed from a cluster of skin cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) hold the capacity to grow into any cell type in the body. This colony of iPSCs has been stained for different transcription factors that drive their pluripotent state. Who knows, maybe one day these iPSCs will differentiate into heart cells!

Mouse Brain Sagittal Cerebellum Label

Description: Histopathological optical digital scan of sagittal mouse brain sample. Cryosection at 12 µm thickness stained by haematoxylin and eosin method following analyses by MALDI-MSI. Photomicrograph image showing a lobule within the Cerebellum. Granular layer (GL) cells are crowded with a deep blue hue surrounded by Purkinje cells, indicated by white arrows, have a light purple appearance. The molecular layer (ML) and white matter (WM) fiber tracts have more of eosinophilic cytoplasmic morphology. Image acquired on Confocal SP 8 Falcon LAS X Microscope system Digital Camera Leica-DFC using 10X zoom 0.40 dry objective.