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This is a searchable collection of scientific photos, illustrations, and videos. The images and videos in this gallery are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0. This license lets you remix, tweak, and build upon this work non-commercially, as long as you credit and license your new creations under identical terms.

2759: Cross section of a Drosophila melanogaster pupa lacking Draper
2759: Cross section of a Drosophila melanogaster pupa lacking Draper
In the absence of the engulfment receptor Draper, salivary gland cells (light blue) persist in the thorax of a developing Drosophila melanogaster pupa. See image 2758 for a cross section of a normal pupa that does express Draper.
Christina McPhee and Eric Baehrecke, University of Massachusetts Medical School
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3432: Mouse mammary cells lacking anti-cancer protein
3432: Mouse mammary cells lacking anti-cancer protein
Shortly after a pregnant woman gives birth, her breasts start to secrete milk. This process is triggered by hormonal and genetic cues, including the protein Elf5. Scientists discovered that Elf5 also has another job--it staves off cancer. Early in the development of breast cancer, human breast cells often lose Elf5 proteins. Cells without Elf5 change shape and spread readily--properties associated with metastasis. This image shows cells in the mouse mammary gland that are lacking Elf5, leading to the overproduction of other proteins (red) that increase the likelihood of metastasis.
Nature Cell Biology, November 2012, Volume 14 No 11 pp1113-1231
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1069: Lab mice
1069: Lab mice
Many researchers use the mouse (Mus musculus) as a model organism to study mammalian biology. Mice carry out practically all the same life processes as humans and, because of their small size and short generation times, are easily raised in labs. Scientists studying a certain cellular activity or disease can choose from tens of thousands of specially bred strains of mice to select those prone to developing certain tumors, neurological diseases, metabolic disorders, premature aging, or other conditions.
Bill Branson, National Institutes of Health
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5883: Beta-galactosidase montage showing cryo-EM improvement--gradient background
5883: Beta-galactosidase montage showing cryo-EM improvement--gradient background
Composite image of beta-galactosidase showing how cryo-EM’s resolution has improved dramatically in recent years. Older images to the left, more recent to the right. Related to image 5882. NIH Director Francis Collins featured this on his blog on January 14, 2016.
Veronica Falconieri, Sriram Subramaniam Lab, National Cancer Institute
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1251: Crab larva eye
1251: Crab larva eye
Colorized scanning electron micrographs progressively zoom in on the eye of a crab larva. In the higher-resolution frames, bacteria are visible on the eye.
Tina Weatherby Carvalho, University of Hawaii at Manoa
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3404: Normal vascular development in frog embryos
3404: Normal vascular development in frog embryos
Hye Ji Cha, University of Texas at Austin
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3522: HeLa cells
3522: HeLa cells
Multiphoton fluorescence image of cultured HeLa cells with a fluorescent protein targeted to the Golgi apparatus (orange), microtubules (green) and counterstained for DNA (cyan). Nikon RTS2000MP custom laser scanning microscope. See related images 3518, 3519, 3520, 3521.
National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research (NCMIR)
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1082: Natcher Building 02
1082: Natcher Building 02
NIGMS staff are located in the Natcher Building on the NIH campus.
Alisa Machalek, National Institute of General Medical Sciences
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7016: Pores on the surface of the Hawaiian bobtail squid light organ
7016: Pores on the surface of the Hawaiian bobtail squid light organ
The light organ (~0.5 mm across) of a juvenile Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, stained blue. The two pairs of ciliated appendages, or “arms,” on the sides of the organ move Vibrio fischeri bacterial cells closer to the two sets of three pores at the base of the arms that each lead to an interior crypt. This image was taken using a confocal fluorescence microscope.
Related to images 7017, 7018, 7019, and 7020.
Related to images 7017, 7018, 7019, and 7020.
Margaret J. McFall-Ngai, Carnegie Institution for Science/California Institute of Technology, and Edward G. Ruby, California Institute of Technology.
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6585: Cell-like compartments from frog eggs 2
6585: Cell-like compartments from frog eggs 2
Cell-like compartments that spontaneously emerged from scrambled frog eggs, with nuclei (blue) from frog sperm. Endoplasmic reticulum (red) and microtubules (green) are also visible. Regions without nuclei formed smaller compartments. Image created using epifluorescence microscopy.
For more photos of cell-like compartments from frog eggs view: 6584, 6586, 6591, 6592, and 6593.
For videos of cell-like compartments from frog eggs view: 6587, 6588, 6589, and 6590.
Xianrui Cheng, Stanford University School of Medicine.
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3429: Enzyme transition states
3429: Enzyme transition states
The molecule on the left is an electrostatic potential map of the van der Waals surface of the transition state for human purine nucleoside phosphorylase. The colors indicate the electron density at any position of the molecule. Red indicates electron-rich regions with negative charge and blue indicates electron-poor regions with positive charge. The molecule on the right is called DADMe-ImmH. It is a chemically stable analogue of the transition state on the left. It binds to the enzyme millions of times tighter than the substrate. This inhibitor is in human clinical trials for treating patients with gout. This image appears in Figure 4, Schramm, V.L. (2011) Annu. Rev. Biochem. 80:703-732.
Vern Schramm, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
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7013: An adult Hawaiian bobtail squid
7013: An adult Hawaiian bobtail squid
An adult female Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes, with its mantle cavity exposed from the underside. Some internal organs are visible, including the two lobes of the light organ that contains bioluminescent bacteria, Vibrio fischeri. The light organ includes accessory tissues like an ink sac (black) that serves as a shutter, and a silvery reflector that directs the light out of the underside of the animal.
Margaret J. McFall-Ngai, Carnegie Institution for Science/California Institute of Technology, and Edward G. Ruby, California Institute of Technology.
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3314: Human opioid receptor structure superimposed on poppy
3314: Human opioid receptor structure superimposed on poppy
Opioid receptors on the surfaces of brain cells are involved in pleasure, pain, addiction, depression, psychosis, and other conditions. The receptors bind to both innate opioids and drugs ranging from hospital anesthetics to opium. Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute, supported by the NIGMS Protein Structure Initiative, determined the first three-dimensional structure of a human opioid receptor, a kappa-opioid receptor. In this illustration, the submicroscopic receptor structure is shown while bound to an agonist (or activator). The structure is superimposed on a poppy flower, the source of opium.
Raymond Stevens, The Scripps Research Institute
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2494: VDAC-1 (3)
2494: VDAC-1 (3)
The structure of the pore-forming protein VDAC-1 from humans. This molecule mediates the flow of products needed for metabolism--in particular the export of ATP--across the outer membrane of mitochondria, the power plants for eukaryotic cells. VDAC-1 is involved in metabolism and the self-destruction of cells--two biological processes central to health.
Related to images 2491, 2495, and 2488.
Related to images 2491, 2495, and 2488.
Gerhard Wagner, Harvard Medical School
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2555: RNA strand (with labels)
2555: RNA strand (with labels)
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) has a sugar-phosphate backbone and the bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and uracil (U). Featured in The New Genetics.
See image 2554 for an unlabeled version of this illustration.
See image 2554 for an unlabeled version of this illustration.
Crabtree + Company
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2440: Hydra 04
2440: Hydra 04
Hydra magnipapillata is an invertebrate animal used as a model organism to study developmental questions, for example the formation of the body axis.
Hiroshi Shimizu, National Institute of Genetics in Mishima, Japan
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2506: Carbon building blocks
2506: Carbon building blocks
The arrangement of identical molecular components can make a dramatic difference. For example, carbon atoms can be arranged into dull graphite (left) or sparkly diamonds (right). See image 2507 for an illustration with examples.
Crabtree + Company
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1315: Chromosomes before crossing over
1315: Chromosomes before crossing over
Duplicated pair of chromosomes lined up and ready to cross over.
Judith Stoffer
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3296: Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in mouse ES cells shows DNA interactions
3296: Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in mouse ES cells shows DNA interactions
Researchers used fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to confirm the presence of long range DNA-DNA interactions in mouse embryonic stem cells. Here, two loci labeled in green (Oct4) and red that are 13 Mb apart on linear DNA are frequently found to be in close proximity. DNA-DNA colocalizations like this are thought to both reflect and contribute to cell type specific gene expression programs.
Kathrin Plath, University of California, Los Angeles
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3598: Developing zebrafish fin
3598: Developing zebrafish fin
Originally from the waters of India, Nepal, and neighboring countries, zebrafish can now be found swimming in science labs (and home aquariums) throughout the world. This fish is a favorite study subject for scientists interested in how genes guide the early stages of prenatal development (including the developing fin shown here) and in the effects of environmental contamination on embryos.
In this image, green fluorescent protein (GFP) is expressed where the gene sox9b is expressed. Collagen (red) marks the fin rays, and DNA, stained with a dye called DAPI, is in blue. sox9b plays many important roles during development, including the building of the heart and brain, and is also necessary for skeletal development. At the University of Wisconsin, researchers have found that exposure to contaminants that bind the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor results in the downregulation of sox9b. Loss of sox9b severely disrupts development in zebrafish and causes a life-threatening disorder called campomelic dysplasia (CD) in humans. CD is characterized by cardiovascular, neural, and skeletal defects. By studying the roles of genes such as sox9b in zebrafish, scientists hope to better understand normal development in humans as well as how to treat developmental disorders and diseases.
This image was part of the Life: Magnified exhibit that ran from June 3, 2014, to January 21, 2015, at Dulles International Airport.
In this image, green fluorescent protein (GFP) is expressed where the gene sox9b is expressed. Collagen (red) marks the fin rays, and DNA, stained with a dye called DAPI, is in blue. sox9b plays many important roles during development, including the building of the heart and brain, and is also necessary for skeletal development. At the University of Wisconsin, researchers have found that exposure to contaminants that bind the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor results in the downregulation of sox9b. Loss of sox9b severely disrupts development in zebrafish and causes a life-threatening disorder called campomelic dysplasia (CD) in humans. CD is characterized by cardiovascular, neural, and skeletal defects. By studying the roles of genes such as sox9b in zebrafish, scientists hope to better understand normal development in humans as well as how to treat developmental disorders and diseases.
This image was part of the Life: Magnified exhibit that ran from June 3, 2014, to January 21, 2015, at Dulles International Airport.
Jessica Plavicki
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2635: Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum
2635: Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum
A computer model shows how the endoplasmic reticulum is close to and almost wraps around mitochondria in the cell. The endoplasmic reticulum is lime green and the mitochondria are yellow. This image relates to a July 27, 2009 article in Computing Life.
Bridget Wilson, University of New Mexico
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3755: Cryo-EM reveals how the HIV capsid attaches to a human protein to evade immune detection
3755: Cryo-EM reveals how the HIV capsid attaches to a human protein to evade immune detection
The illustration shows the capsid of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) whose molecular features were resolved with cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). On the left, the HIV capsid is "naked," a state in which it would be easily detected by and removed from cells. However, as shown on the right, when the viral capsid binds to and is covered with a host protein, called cyclophilin A (shown in red), it evades detection and enters and invades the human cell to use it to establish an infection. To learn more about how cyclophilin A helps HIV infect cells and how scientists used cryo-EM to find out the mechanism by which the HIV capsid attaches to cyclophilin A, see this news release by the University of Illinois. A study reporting these findings was published in the journal Nature Communications.
Juan R. Perilla, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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3263: Peripheral nerve cells derived from ES cells
3263: Peripheral nerve cells derived from ES cells
Peripheral nerve cells made from human embryonic stem cell-derived neural crest stem cells. The nuclei are shown in blue, and nerve cell proteins peripherin and beta-tubulin (Tuj1) are shown in green and red, respectively. Related to image 3264. Image is featured in October 2015 Biomedical Beat blog post Cool Images: A Halloween-Inspired Cell Collection.
Stephen Dalton, University of Georgia
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6797: Yeast cells with accumulated cell wall material
6797: Yeast cells with accumulated cell wall material
Yeast cells that abnormally accumulate cell wall material (blue) at their ends and, when preparing to divide, in their middles. This image was captured using wide-field microscopy with deconvolution.
Related to images 6791, 6792, 6793, 6794, 6798, and videos 6795 and 6796.
Related to images 6791, 6792, 6793, 6794, 6798, and videos 6795 and 6796.
Alaina Willet, Kathy Gould’s lab, Vanderbilt University.
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2433: Fruit fly sperm cells
2433: Fruit fly sperm cells
Developing fruit fly spermatids require caspase activity (green) for the elimination of unwanted organelles and cytoplasm via apoptosis.
Hermann Steller, Rockefeller University
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6802: Antibiotic-surviving bacteria
6802: Antibiotic-surviving bacteria
Colonies of bacteria growing despite high concentrations of antibiotics. These colonies are visible both by eye, as seen on the left, and by bioluminescence imaging, as seen on the right. The bioluminescent color indicates the metabolic activity of these bacteria, with their red centers indicating high metabolism.
More information about the research that produced this image can be found in the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy paper “Novel aminoglycoside-tolerant phoenix colony variants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa” by Sindeldecker et al.
More information about the research that produced this image can be found in the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy paper “Novel aminoglycoside-tolerant phoenix colony variants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa” by Sindeldecker et al.
Paul Stoodley, The Ohio State University.
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2332: Tiny points of light in a quantum dot
2332: Tiny points of light in a quantum dot
This fingertip-shaped group of lights is a microscopic crystal called a quantum dot. About 10,000 times thinner than a sheet of paper, the dot radiates brilliant colors under ultraviolet light. Dots such as this one allow researchers to label and track individual molecules in living cells and may be used for speedy disease diagnosis, DNA testing, and screening for illegal drugs.
Sandra Rosenthal and James McBride, Vanderbilt University, and Stephen Pennycook, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
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3371: Mouse cerebellum close-up
3371: Mouse cerebellum close-up
The cerebellum is the brain's locomotion control center. Every time you shoot a basketball, tie your shoe or chop an onion, your cerebellum fires into action. Found at the base of your brain, the cerebellum is a single layer of tissue with deep folds like an accordion. People with damage to this region of the brain often have difficulty with balance, coordination and fine motor skills. For a lower magnification, see image 3639.
This image was part of the Life: Magnified exhibit that ran from June 3, 2014, to January 21, 2015, at Dulles International Airport.
This image was part of the Life: Magnified exhibit that ran from June 3, 2014, to January 21, 2015, at Dulles International Airport.
National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research (NCMIR)
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2574: Simulation of uncontrolled avian flu outbreak
2574: Simulation of uncontrolled avian flu outbreak
This video simulation shows what an uncontrolled outbreak of transmissible avian flu among people living in Thailand might look like. Red indicates new cases while green indicates areas where the epidemic has finished. The video shows the spread of infection and recovery over 300 days in Thailand and neighboring countries.
Neil M. Ferguson, Imperial College London
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2441: Hydra 05
2441: Hydra 05
Hydra magnipapillata is an invertebrate animal used as a model organism to study developmental questions, for example the formation of the body axis.
Hiroshi Shimizu, National Institute of Genetics in Mishima, Japan
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2443: Mapping human genetic variation
2443: Mapping human genetic variation
This map paints a colorful portrait of human genetic variation around the world. Researchers analyzed the DNA of 485 people and tinted the genetic types in different colors to produce one of the most detailed maps of its kind ever made. The map shows that genetic variation decreases with increasing distance from Africa, which supports the idea that humans originated in Africa, spread to the Middle East, then to Asia and Europe, and finally to the Americas. The data also offers a rich resource that scientists could use to pinpoint the genetic basis of diseases prevalent in diverse populations. Featured in the March 19, 2008, issue of Biomedical Beat.
Noah Rosenberg and Martin Soave, University of Michigan
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3283: Mouse heart muscle cells 02
3283: Mouse heart muscle cells 02
This image shows neonatal mouse heart cells. These cells were grown in the lab on a chip that aligns the cells in a way that mimics what is normally seen in the body. Green shows the muscle protein toponin I. Red indicates the muscle protein actin, and blue indicates the cell nuclei. The work shown here was part of a study attempting to grow heart tissue in the lab to repair damage after a heart attack. Image and caption information courtesy of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Related to images 3281 and 3282.
Kara McCloskey lab, University of California, Merced, via CIRM
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3549: TonB protein in gram-negative bacteria
3549: TonB protein in gram-negative bacteria
The green in this image highlights a protein called TonB, which is produced by many gram-negative bacteria, including those that cause typhoid fever, meningitis and dysentery. TonB lets bacteria take up iron from the host's body, which they need to survive. More information about the research behind this image can be found in a Biomedical Beat Blog posting from August 2013.
Phillip Klebba, Kansas State University
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2412: Pig alpha amylase
2412: Pig alpha amylase
Crystals of porcine alpha amylase protein created for X-ray crystallography, which can reveal detailed, three-dimensional protein structures.
Alex McPherson, University of California, Irvine
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3791: Nucleolus subcompartments spontaneously self-assemble 2
3791: Nucleolus subcompartments spontaneously self-assemble 2
The nucleolus is a small but very important protein complex located in the cell's nucleus. It forms on the chromosomes at the location where the genes for the RNAs are that make up the structure of the ribosome, the indispensable cellular machine that makes proteins from messenger RNAs.
However, how the nucleolus grows and maintains its structure has puzzled scientists for some time. It turns out that even though it looks like a simple liquid blob, it's rather well-organized, consisting of three distinct layers: the fibrillar center, where the RNA polymerase is active; the dense fibrillar component, which is enriched in the protein fibrillarin; and the granular component, which contains a protein called nucleophosmin. Researchers have now discovered that this multilayer structure of the nucleolus arises from differences in how the proteins in each compartment mix with water and with each other. These differences let the proteins readily separate from each other into the three nucleolus compartments.
This video of nucleoli in the eggs of a commonly used lab animal, the frog Xenopus laevis, shows how each of the compartments (the granular component is shown in red, the fibrillarin in yellow-green, and the fibrillar center in blue) spontaneously fuse with each other on encounter without mixing with the other compartments.
For more details on this research, see this press release from Princeton. Related to video 3789, image 3792 and image 3793.
However, how the nucleolus grows and maintains its structure has puzzled scientists for some time. It turns out that even though it looks like a simple liquid blob, it's rather well-organized, consisting of three distinct layers: the fibrillar center, where the RNA polymerase is active; the dense fibrillar component, which is enriched in the protein fibrillarin; and the granular component, which contains a protein called nucleophosmin. Researchers have now discovered that this multilayer structure of the nucleolus arises from differences in how the proteins in each compartment mix with water and with each other. These differences let the proteins readily separate from each other into the three nucleolus compartments.
This video of nucleoli in the eggs of a commonly used lab animal, the frog Xenopus laevis, shows how each of the compartments (the granular component is shown in red, the fibrillarin in yellow-green, and the fibrillar center in blue) spontaneously fuse with each other on encounter without mixing with the other compartments.
For more details on this research, see this press release from Princeton. Related to video 3789, image 3792 and image 3793.
Nilesh Vaidya, Princeton University
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2429: Highlighted cells
2429: Highlighted cells
The cytoskeleton (green) and DNA (purple) are highlighed in these cells by immunofluorescence.
Torsten Wittmann, Scripps Research Institute
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3735: Scanning electron microscopy of collagen fibers
3735: Scanning electron microscopy of collagen fibers
This image shows collagen, a fibrous protein that's the main component of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Collagen is a strong, ropelike molecule that forms stretch-resistant fibers. The most abundant protein in our bodies, collagen accounts for about a quarter of our total protein mass. Among its many functions is giving strength to our tendons, ligaments and bones and providing scaffolding for skin wounds to heal. There are about 20 different types of collagen in our bodies, each adapted to the needs of specific tissues.
Tom Deerinck, National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research (NCMIR)
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