Images
SEM image of parallel arrays of demineralized collagen fibrils from fibrolamellar bone of a femur of an eight week old growing Mini-pig. Transverse fracture surface was superficially demineralized with EDTA and then critical-point-dried (CPD). Collagen fibers with uniform diameter and d-spacing can be observed. The fibers are well aligned and have a preferred orientation, consistent with the definition of parallel-fibered bone.
SEM image of the fracture surface of the shell of the barnacle B. amphitrite. The shell is constructed of calcite crystallites, about 1µm in size, each of which exhibits a unique rough surface texture and conchoidal fracture. These crystals grow within a gel environment. See Mor Khalifa, G., Weiner, S. and Addadi, L. 2011. Mineral and matrix components of the operculum and shell of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite: calcite crystal growth in a hydrogel. Crystal Growth Design 11, 5122-5130.
3D structure of human lamellar bone after removal of the mineral phase. The images are produced by serial surface view using a dual beam microscope. The horizontal length of the surface in the lamellar boundary plane is 8 microns. For more details see a similar study of rat lamellar bone by Reznikov, N., Almany-Magal, R., Shahar, R. and Weiner, S. 2013. Three-dimensional imaging of collagen fibril organization in rat circumferential lamellar bone using a dual beam electron microscope reveals ordered and disordered sub-lamellar structures. Bone 52, 676-683
3D structure of human lamellar bone after removal of the mineral phase. The images are produced by serial surface view using a dual beam microscope. The horizontal length of the surface in the lamellar boundary plane is 8 microns. For more details see a similar study of rat lamellar bone by Reznikov, N., Almany-Magal, R., Shahar, R. and Weiner, S. 2013. Three-dimensional imaging of collagen fibril organization in rat circumferential lamellar bone using a dual beam electron microscope reveals ordered and disordered sub-lamellar structures. Bone 52, 676-683
A – Photograph of a custom made humidified loading chamber inside the Xradia XCT400 microCT. Inset – loaded molar tooth of a minipig.
B – 2D slice from a tomogram showing a loaded rat 1st mandibular molar tooth inside the mandibular bone. Arrow shows the contact area of the tooth and the bone at the furcation.
C, D – 3D volume of fresh unstained lateral root of rat 1st molar tooth unloaded (C) and loaded (D), showing the dense and sparse PDL collagenous network types. Black arrowheads – dense network, white arrowheads – sparse network.
See Naveh, G.R.S., Brumfeld, V., Shahar, R. and Weiner, S. 2013. Tooth periodontal ligament: direct 3D microCT visualization of the collagen network and how the network changes when the tooth is loaded. J. Structural Biol. 181, 108-115
SEM image of plant cystoliths extracted from the leaves of a Ficus tree. These cystoliths are composed of amorphous calcium carbonate stabilized by a small amount of silica. They are also found in the leaves of many different plants, where they function as light scatterers. See Gal, A., Brumfeld, V., Weiner, S., Addadi, L. and Oron, D. 2012. Certain biominerals in leaves function as light scatterers. Adv. Functional Mat. 24, OP77-OP83.
SEM image of the fracture surface of the shell of the Cavolinid pteropod (nektonic gastropod) Diacrea. Note the elongated aragonitic crystals that bend into a helical shape.
Cryo-SEM image of a section through a sea urchin embryo showing parts of a calcitic spicule (arrows) and the surrounding cells which are responsible for the formation of the spicule. The spicules are deposited inside a delimited space, the syncytium, which is formed by the fusion of specialized cells.
SEM image of parallel arrays of demineralized collagen fibrils from fibrolamellar bone of a femur of an eight week old growing Mini-pig. Transverse fracture surface was superficially demineralized with EDTA and then critical-point-dried (CPD). Collagen fibers with uniform diameter and d-spacing can be observed. The fibers are well aligned and have a preferred orientation, consistent with the definition of parallel-fibered bone.