Myoanatomy of the velvet worm leg revealed by laboratory-based nanofocus X-ray source tomography

X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a powerful noninvasive technique for investigating the inner structure of objects and organisms. However, the resolution of laboratory CT systems is typically limited to the micrometer range. In this paper, we present a table-top nanoCT system in conjunction with st...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2017-11, Vol.114 (47), p.12378-12383
Main Authors: Müller, Mark, de Sena Oliveira, Ivo, Allner, Sebastian, Ferstl, Simone, Bidola, Pidassa, Mechlem, Korbinian, Fehringer, Andreas, Hehn, Lorenz, Dierolf, Martin, Achterhold, Klaus, Gleich, Bernhard, Hammel, Jörg U., Jahn, Henry, Mayer, Georg, Pfeiffer, Franz
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological Sciences
Comparative studies
Computed tomography
Confocal microscopy
Electron microscopy
Image quality
Muscles
Optics
Physical Sciences
Scanning electron microscopy
Scanning microscopy
Tomography
Walking
Worms
X ray optics
X ray sources
X-rays
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Summary:X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a powerful noninvasive technique for investigating the inner structure of objects and organisms. However, the resolution of laboratory CT systems is typically limited to the micrometer range. In this paper, we present a table-top nanoCT system in conjunction with standard processing tools that is able to routinely reach resolutions down to 100 nm without using X-ray optics. We demonstrate its potential for biological investigations by imaging a walking appendage of Euperipatoides rowelli, a representative of Onychophora—an invertebrate group pivotal for understanding animal evolution. Comparative analyses proved that the nanoCT can depict the external morphology of the limb with an image quality similar to scanning electron microscopy, while simultaneously visualizing internal muscular structures at higher resolutions than confocal laser scanning microscopy. The obtained nanoCT data revealed hitherto unknown aspects of the onychophoran limb musculature, enabling the 3D reconstruction of individual muscle fibers, which was previously impossible using any laboratory-based imaging technique.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.1710742114