Whole-cell organelle segmentation in volume electron microscopy

Larissa Heinrich et al.
Nature. October 2021

CLIENT

COSEM Project Team, HHMI Janelia

TOOLS

Adobe Illustrator

ABOUT ThE PRoject

Our goal was to simplify complex whole cell segmentation data into a digestible illustration. After generating and discussing several idea, we chose a paper cut out design to convey the underlying three- dimensional data as well as the segmentation in a unique way. The final design incorporated some of the electron microscopy data.

While this artwork was not chosen for the cover, we hope it magnifies a bit of the amazing science it was inspired by.

Paper Summary

Nanometre-level, three-dimensional reconstruction of whole cells can help use understand the organization of the organelles and macromolecules they contain. This paper describes techniques used to segment organelles and macromolecules in whole cell isotropic focused ion bean scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) data. Data for multiple cell types can be found on OpenOrganelle, an  open data and open-source repository.