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Growing Brains

Ultrastructure of growing neurons in lab-grown brain 'organoids' revealed with fluorescence and electron microscopy combination

07 December 2021

Growing Brains

We’d be nothing without our neurons. These specialised cells send and receive messages that instruct us to walk, talk and everything in between through a network in our body called the nervous system, which originates from our brain. Neurons themselves have their own tree-shaped structure. The main body of the neuron is like the crown of a tree, and houses its genetic information, whilst projecting outwards from the neuron’s body, like the trunk of a tree, is the axon. Measuring up to a metre in length, the axon’s primary function is to carry electrical signals away from the neuron body towards other neurons. This modern-art style image, captures the ultrastructure of a growing axon in a lab-grown miniature brain (organoid) using a technique called electron cryo-tomography. The axon (edged by dark blue) contains smaller structures such as microtubules (magenta) and actin filaments (orange) which provide structural support and carry the all-important signals.

Written by Katy Pallister

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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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