Human cells are a sight to behold, more so if they are captured as fluorescent microscopy images. Such images can be captivatingly beautiful but behind that beauty lies valuable data which enables researchers to, for example, better understand the mechanisms behind disease at the cellular level or conduct early screens for potential new therapies.
To assist researchers in their endeavours, GE Healthcare holds the yearly IN Cell Analyzer Image Competition to choose the best human cell images. Below are stunning images captured by the winners of the 2011 competition.
WINNING IMAGES
Winning image for the Americas by Geoffrey Grandjean, MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA.
The above image shows human ovarian cancer cells stained for DNA (red) and microtubules (green). It is an image of cell division gone awry: a giant human ovarian cancer cell with a critical cell-division gene knocked down surrounded by its dwarfed yet normal cell counterparts. The particular gene knockdown in this screen disrupted cell division, causing the giant cell in the middle to grow very large. Images of this type help the researchers identify areas to attack in cancer therapies.
Winning image for Asia Pacific by Leslie Caron, GENEA, Australia.
This above image displays vascular smooth muscle cells differentiated from human embryonic stem cells stained for DNA (blue) and the smooth muscle markers Smoothelin (red) and Caldesmon (green).
Winning image for Europe by Marie Neguembor, ALEMBIC - San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Italy.
This is another image of muscle cells. It shows Myoblast stained for DNA (blue), Myosin heavy chain (green) and methylated Histone H4 (red). A Myoblast is a type of embryonic progenitor cell that gives rise to muscle cells. Myosins comprise a family of motor proteins and are best known for their role in muscle contraction. Histones are highly alkaline proteins found in eukaryotic cell nuclei that package and order the DNA into structural units called nucleosomes.
SELECTED IMAGES FROM OTHER PARTICIPANTS
Image by Remko de Pril, Galapagos Institute.
Image by Aurianne Lescure, Curie Institute.
Image by Beipei Shi, Prion Centre, University of Alberta.
For more stunning images, click the source link below.
[Source: GE Healthcare]
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