Image showing a blood vessel affected with cerebrovascular amyloid angiopathy (CAA) in a mouse model. Amyloid deposits are found in Alzheimer's disease.
Source: M. Garcia-Alloza, Massachusetts General Hospital

Researchers are using emerging, high resolution imaging techniques to non-destructively visualize dynamic structural and functional properties of engineered tissues. These techniques let scientists study developmental processes, for example, changes in tissue microstructure. This image shows cells grown in a scaffold. The 3-D reconstructed image of the tissue reveals interactions among the cells, scaffold, and matrices.
Source: Stephen Boppart, UIUC

New diffusion MRI technology provides unprecedented detail of the connections in the brain. The fibers are color-coded by direction: red = left-right, green = anterior-posterior, blue = ascending-descending.
Source: The Human Connectome Project

In this fluorescence microscopy image, a microgripper the size of a dust particle closes around live cells (green) in response to heat or biochemical signals. Such tiny tools can perform more effective, minimally invasive biopsies of hard-to-reach tissues than is possible with today’s surgical equipment. Source: T. G. Leong et al.

This optical microscopy image captures the metaphase of meiosis I in a crane fly spermatocyte (precursor of sperm). Using a technique called orientation-independent differential interference contrast (OI-DIC), subcellular structures like chromosomes lining up along the spindle equator, tubular distribution of mitochondria surrounding the spindle, and polar flagella in the lower centrosome (appearing as a letter 'l' lying on its side) can be clearly seen. Source: Michael Shribak, Marine Biological Laboratory

Tucked inside the plastic cube is a powerful, high-resolution, lens-less microscope the size of a bumblebee’s hair bristle. Capable of using sunlight as the light source, the mini microscope can image blood cells and microscopic organisms with comparable clarity to a conventional light microscope. Source: Changhuei Yang

This fluorescence microscopy image shows the distribution of two nanoparticles pumped gently into the brain. One particle (red) bound to brain tissue near the site of infusion while the other particle penetrated outwards several millimeters (green). Nanoparticles can be filled with either drugs or DNA for treatment of diseases including brain tumors, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's. Visual studies like this help determine what properties are best suited to deliver therapy to these diseases.
Source: Frank Szoka, Jr. and J. A. MacKay, University of California at San Francisco

Using computer software programs, scientists combined brain MRIs from 20 healthy people into this composite image, in which ellipsoids represent normal anatomical variations. Pink purple ellipsoids, signifying the greatest variation, occur in brain regions that are uniquely human for example, regions that control language and logical reasoning. Blue ellipsoids, representing slight variations, occur in brain regions that control sensation and movements. Ultimately, this baseline data on interpersonal variability will allow scientists to distinguish normal anatomical variation from abnormal brain loss, such as that seen in Alzheimer's disease. Source: Paul Thompson, University of California, Los Angeles

Researchers are using high-resolution immunofluorescence confocal microscopy to reconstruct 3D multi-scale models of ventricular electromechanics in wild-type and genetically engineered mouse hearts. Three different dyes illuminate various protein filaments involved in the tissue structure. Source: Andrew McCulloch and Stuart Campbell, University of California, San Diego and Robert Price, University of South Carolina School of Medicine.