Brain’s lost neurons The slice on the right is from a mouse that lacks a gene called Arl13b - the same gene whose mutation causes Joubert syndrome in humans. This is a rare neurological condition that is linked with autism-spectrum disorders and brain structure malformations. Without Arl13b, the nerve cells known as interneurons can’t find the right destination in the cerebral cortex during the brain’s development. Since the interneurons don’t end up in the right places, they can’t be wired up properly later on. This causes the disrupted brain development, typical of Joubert syndrome, visible in the image on the right. source : Developmental cell doi:10.1016/j.devcel.2012.09.019
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Brain’s lost neurons

The slice on the right is from a mouse that lacks a gene called Arl13b - the same gene whose mutation causes Joubert syndrome in humans. This is a rare neurological condition that is linked with autism-spectrum disorders and brain structure malformations.

Without Arl13b, the nerve cells known as interneurons can’t find the right destination in the cerebral cortex during the brain’s development. Since the interneurons don’t end up in the right places, they can’t be wired up properly later on. This causes the disrupted brain development, typical of Joubert syndrome, visible in the image on the right.

source : Developmental cell doi:10.1016/j.devcel.2012.09.019

Brain Tumour Imaging A three-dimensional image of the human brain demonstrating a malignant brain tumour (green ball) surrounded by white matter fibres; motor fibres in red, sensory fibres in blue, connecting fibres in green and speech fibres in dark-green behind the tumour. This visualisation allowed removal of the tumour through a surgical corridor without affecting the patient’s speech, motor or sensory functions. photographie de Professor Sam Eljamel, (Centre for Neuroscience, Division of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing)
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Brain Tumour Imaging

A three-dimensional image of the human brain demonstrating a malignant brain tumour (green ball) surrounded by white matter fibres; motor fibres in red, sensory fibres in blue, connecting fibres in green and speech fibres in dark-green behind the tumour. This visualisation allowed removal of the tumour through a surgical corridor without affecting the patient’s speech, motor or sensory functions.

photographie de Professor Sam Eljamel, (Centre for Neuroscience, Division of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing)

Variations dans la taille et la morphologie externe du cerveau Photographs and weights of the brains of different species. Primates: human (Homo sapiens, 1.176 kg), chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes, 273 g), baboon (Papio cynocephalus, 151 g), mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx, 123 g), macaque (Macaca tonkeana, 110 g). Carnivores: bear (Ursus arctos, 289 g), lion (Panthera leo, 165 g), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus, 119 g), dog (Canis familiaris, 95 g), cat (Felis catus, 32 g). Artiodactyls: giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis, 700 g), kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros, 166 g), mouflon (Ovis musimon, 118 g), ibex (Capra pyrenaica, 115 g); peccary (Tayassu pecari, 41 g). Marsupials: wallaby (Protemnodon rufogrisea, 28 g). Lagomorphs: rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus, 5.2 g). Rodents: rat (Rattus rattus, 2.6 g), mouse (Mus musculus, 0.5 g). (via Frontiers)
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Variations dans la taille et la morphologie externe du cerveau

Photographs and weights of the brains of different species. Primates: human (Homo sapiens, 1.176 kg), chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes, 273 g), baboon (Papio cynocephalus, 151 g), mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx, 123 g), macaque (Macaca tonkeana, 110 g). Carnivores: bear (Ursus arctos, 289 g), lion (Panthera leo, 165 g), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus, 119 g), dog (Canis familiaris, 95 g), cat (Felis catus, 32 g). Artiodactyls: giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis, 700 g), kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros, 166 g), mouflon (Ovis musimon, 118 g), ibex (Capra pyrenaica, 115 g); peccary (Tayassu pecari, 41 g). Marsupials: wallaby (Protemnodon rufogrisea, 28 g). Lagomorphs: rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus, 5.2 g). Rodents: rat (Rattus rattus, 2.6 g), mouse (Mus musculus, 0.5 g). (via Frontiers)

(via scipsy)

Neurosphère The term stem cell was first used in the 19th century to describe the Darwin-esque evolution of multicellular organisms over millions of years. Today the term is used to reflect the evolutionary-like moulding that transforms a naïve cell into a mature committed specialist in a matter of days. Stem cells respond to chemical signals in their immediate environment prompting them to mature or differentiate, into specialised cells across our bodies. Organs can avail of part-mature stem cells locally to repair damaged tissue. This ball of neural stem cells (a neurosphere, with its DNA stained blue) has received the chemical cue to differentiate into neurons. After 45 days, the newly-transformed neurons (stained red) branch out in all directions. One day soon stem cell therapy could help reverse the damage done by Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. source : BPOD, Image created by Dr Elizabeth HartfieldFirst published in the Oxford University Biochemical Society magazine, Phenotype Winning image of Oxford University Press sponsored competition Snapshot
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Neurosphère

The term stem cell was first used in the 19th century to describe the Darwin-esque evolution of multicellular organisms over millions of years. Today the term is used to reflect the evolutionary-like moulding that transforms a naïve cell into a mature committed specialist in a matter of days. Stem cells respond to chemical signals in their immediate environment prompting them to mature or differentiate, into specialised cells across our bodies. Organs can avail of part-mature stem cells locally to repair damaged tissue. This ball of neural stem cells (a neurosphere, with its DNA stained blue) has received the chemical cue to differentiate into neurons. After 45 days, the newly-transformed neurons (stained red) branch out in all directions. One day soon stem cell therapy could help reverse the damage done by Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.

source : BPOD,

Image created by Dr Elizabeth Hartfield
First published in the Oxford University Biochemical Society magazine, Phenotype
Winning image of Oxford University Press sponsored competition Snapshot
Neuronal Growth Cones We know that neurons connect to each other, but how do they find each other to make connections?  How do they know which connections are the right ones?  Growth cones are the part of the neuron (from the axon which has to make connections) that grow outward to seek out other neurons and make those connections.  They consist of actin (here shown in red) around the outside and microtubules (here shown in green) in most of the axon. They grow by breaking down actin and adding pieces of actin to the leading edge- it’s a very dynamic process and is guided by signals in the extracellular space.  For instance, other neurons can put out certain chemicals that will be in higher concentrations close to them (and more diffuse as you get further away, simply by the process of diffusion) and the growth cone is essentially attracted to where the concentration of that chemical is highest, leading the axon to another neuron.  It’s a pretty cool process! [Image from the Forscher Lab at Yale: Source]
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Neuronal Growth Cones

We know that neurons connect to each other, but how do they find each other to make connections?  How do they know which connections are the right ones?  Growth cones are the part of the neuron (from the axon which has to make connections) that grow outward to seek out other neurons and make those connections.  They consist of actin (here shown in red) around the outside and microtubules (here shown in green) in most of the axon.

They grow by breaking down actin and adding pieces of actin to the leading edge- it’s a very dynamic process and is guided by signals in the extracellular space.  For instance, other neurons can put out certain chemicals that will be in higher concentrations close to them (and more diffuse as you get further away, simply by the process of diffusion) and the growth cone is essentially attracted to where the concentration of that chemical is highest, leading the axon to another neuron.  It’s a pretty cool process!

[Image from the Forscher Lab at Yale: Source]

SENSE by Annie Cattrell Transparent resin and rapid prototyped resin, 2001-03 This sequence of sculptures illustrates the activity patterns of the human brain as it responds to the five senses: touch, smell, sight, hearing and taste. Scans of a subject’s brain using each of the senses were produced with functional magnetic resonance imaging. These scans were then converted into three-dimensional physical structures of amber resin using a rapid-prototyping process. The elegant simplicity of the sculptures belies the complexity of the technology required to make them. source : Medicine Now - Wellcome Collection
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SENSE

by Annie Cattrell

Transparent resin and rapid prototyped resin, 2001-03

This sequence of sculptures illustrates the activity patterns of the human brain as it responds to the five senses: touch, smell, sight, hearing and taste. Scans of a subject’s brain using each of the senses were produced with functional magnetic resonance imaging. These scans were then converted into three-dimensional physical structures of amber resin using a rapid-prototyping process. The elegant simplicity of the sculptures belies the complexity of the technology required to make them.

source : Medicine Now - Wellcome Collection