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30 August 2012

Caught on Camera

We, like all complex animals, begin to take shape in a hive of cellular industry called the embryo. As development progresses, cells in different regions of the embryo take on special roles and eventually become our tissues, organs and limbs. The video shows the embryo of a fruit fly (Drosophila) developing into a larva. Taken with Multi-View Selective-Plane Illumination Microscopy (MuVi-SPIM), this new technique involves shining a thin sheet of light on the embryo and quickly taking four images of the embryo from different angles. Combining the images to give one 3D view shows every cell’s movements within the embryo, helping scientists better understand exactly how organisms develop.

Written by Sai Pathmanathan

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.