Best of Embryos 2012

Here are my Best of 2012 Embryo pictures. 2012 was a big year for me, as I began graduate work shortly after January. I didn't get my hands wet (literally) until the summer time, when I was afforded the opportunity to learn dissection and experimental techniques on embryos. I have learned as I've gone along, and these photos sort of chronicle my journey into developmental biology and graduate school.

Photographing embryos is inherently hard. Because I use a microscope camera, it is usually very difficult to get an entire shot in focus. Either the foreground or background are blurred, due to the dimensionality and curvature of the embryo. Aqueous conditions also impede capturing high resolution photographs. The embryos must be submerged in watery and opaque liquids during dissection (phosphate buffered solution), or glycerine on an agar plate (for photographing). However, I did my best to capture the awe of developmental biology. These photos were taken by me after careful dissection and preparation.

The first is an embryo of the Children's python. The eggs were soft and leathery to dissect, containing an abundance of yellowy yolk. After diving through the yolk with my forceps I managed to find and clean up this snake embryo. The snake embryo naturally curls into a spiral, as the somites (precursors to vertebrae) grow in number from a few to hundreds.

Children's python snake embryo (left lateral view)

The next three photos are of anole lizard embryos (Anolis carolinensis). We mainly study the anole in our lab. It's 3 chambered heart is full of blood, and arteries are growing through the embryo to provide nutrition and oxygenation. Dark pigment is beginning to shade the eye. It's arm and limb buds are just paddles, but will soon develop further into webbed digits. The bright white dots at the back of the neck are the otic placodes, which will become the ear. They fill with a milky, granular material as the embryo matures.The giant balloon shapes on the top of the head, the mesencephalon, comprise the space where the future brain will form. It is filled with fluid for now, unable to process any central sensations or experience.

Green Anole lizard embryo (right lateral view)

The next embryo shows a crisp definition of the heart, located dead center. Also, the somites are visible as segmented blocks that run parallel to the future spine. The nubs below the head and on the neck are the pharyngeal pouches. They will develop into the middle ear, larynx, glands.

Anolis carolinensis embryo (right lateral view)

You can see blood islands start to form and flow through the neural tube, at the back of the head. Individual red blood cells are visible, if you zoom in enough. The dorsal lips of the neural tube have already zipped shut from the rear up to the neck area. This area remains open in the shape of a rhomboid and is where the hindbrain will form.

Anole lizard embryo (dorsal view)

The next two are mouse embryos, which were probed for the ID1 gene via in situ hybridization. Everywhere that the ID1 gene transcript is present will show a purple dye. ID1 is expressed highly in the neural region during this stage of development. I did the in situ experiment and photography by myself. The dissection was done prior to my arrival at the lab.

ID1 gene expression in mouse embryo in situ hybridization (ISH)

Here you can see into the back of the head through the window-like pane. The rhomboid shape results from a section of the dorsal neural tube which remains open, in addition to the pontine flexure. The purple lining around the edges are the rhombic lips, which will give rise to precursors of the cerebellum. Differentiation of granule cells will occur in this area. Islands of purple matter can be seen floating through the ventricles. 

Mouse embryo in situ hybridization (ISH) shows ID1 gene expression (right lateral/dorsal view)

The next embryo was probed for the GLCC1 gene. The rhombic lips are clearly shown. The optic placode, which becomes the eye, also indicates high transcription of GLCC1.

GLCC1 gene expression as shown by in situ hybridization (ISH) (left lateral/dorsal view)

The next photos are of mouse skeletal preps I did in my Development of Vertebrate Anatomy class. Alcian blue has stained for cartilage, while Alizarian red stains for bone. Some of these preps were given courtesy of the Rawls lab and my TA Corinne DeRuiter, for me to photograph.

Mouse neonate skeletal prep (dorsal view)

Here you can see the areas of cartilage and bone in the scapula, which connects to the arm.

Shoulder girdle and thoracic region of a mouse neonate skeletal prep (left lateral view)

Here are the digits and the arms.

Forelimb of a mouse neonate skeletal prep (left lateral view)

Here is the jawbone and skull. The rainbow colors are from parts of the skin that remain being differentially lit by the microscope stage lighting. This image was not falsely colored.

Head and neck region of a mouse neonate skeletal prep (right lateral view of head)

And finally to end the series, a picture of the ribcage, which reminded me of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Mouse neonate skeletal prep (ventral view)

All embryos were treated ethically according to IUCAC protocol.



 

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