The interior of a single cell in the brain, freeze fractured to reveal its organelles and imaged with a scanning electron microscope. The nucleus is purple, DNA is pink, endoplasmic reticulum is green, ribosomes are blue, golgi apparatus is olive, vesicles are yellow, and mitochondria are red. This image is part of a 600 megapixel mosaic, which can be seen in full resolution on gigapan. The sample was prepared with the osmium maceration technique by Dr. Patrick Nahirney, and imaged, stitched and colorized by James Tyrwhitt Drake.
Just a friendly reminder that our cells are crowded, beautiful, and intricate bags of all kinds of whoknows and whatsit.
Previously: Follow this up with a look at the marvelous molecular melee that exists at the synapse between two nerves. It’s gorgeous.
And definitely, definitely take a look at the hi-res gigapan of that cell up there. Oh my Golgi.