Now in our 13th year of bringing you beautiful imagery from biomedical science every day

Search the archive of over 4000 images

Power Insight

Detail of the 3D organisation of mitochondria in the retina revealed

16 October 2021

Power Insight

The backs of our eyes are studded with millions of photoreceptors, cells in the retina triggered by light to help send electrical impulses to the brain. Differently-shaped ‘rod’ and ‘cone’ photoreceptors work to keep our vision precise and sensitive – and require a constant supply of energy. Here we see bundles cellular power stations – or mitochondria – highlighted in different colours around a single cone cell from a macaque monkey’s eye. To capture this level of detail, the retina was set in resin and a series of pictures taken while shaving away thin layers of tissue. The technique, called serial block face scanning electron microscopy, reveals the mitochondria have pointy 'tops' (left) and swollen bases (right), 10,000 times smaller than a bunch of asparagus. Researchers believe this arrangement helps with mitochondrial fusion – when the powerhouses join and rejuvenate, important to the health of retinal cells in monkeys and humans alike.

Written by John Ankers

Search The Archive

Submit An Image

Follow on Tumblr

Follow on Instagram

What is BPoD?

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.

Read More

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