Gigapixel imaging with a novel multi-camera array microscope
- Duke University, United States
- Ramona Optics Inc, United States
Abstract
The dynamics of living organisms are organized across many spatial scales. However, current cost-effective imaging systems can measure only a subset of these scales at once. We have created a scalable multi-camera array microscope (MCAM) that enables comprehensive high-resolution recording from multiple spatial scales simultaneously, ranging from structures that approach the cellular scale to large-group behavioral dynamics. By collecting data from up to 96 cameras, we computationally generate gigapixel-scale images and movies with a field of view over hundreds of square centimeters at an optical resolution of 18 µm. This allows us to observe the behavior and fine anatomical features of numerous freely moving model organisms on multiple spatial scales, including larval zebrafish, fruit flies, nematodes, carpenter ants, and slime mold. Further, the MCAM architecture allows stereoscopic tracking of the z-position of organisms using the overlapping field of view from adjacent cameras. Overall, by removing the bottlenecks imposed by single-camera image acquisition systems, the MCAM provides a powerful platform for investigating detailed biological features and behavioral processes of small model organisms across a wide range of spatial scales.
Data availability
All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in the manuscript and supporting files;Source Data files and associated analysis code have been provided on https://gitlab.oit.duke.edu/ean26/gigapixelimaging.To view associated MCAM videos with flexible zooming capabilities see https://gigazoom.rc.duke.edu/team/Gigapixel%20behavioral%20and%20neural%20activity%20imaging%20with%20a%20novel%20multi-camera%20array%20microscope/Owl.Other MCAM source data can be viewed at https://gigazoom.rc.duke.edu/Raw MCAM video data as well as other relevant manuscript data for all experiments is publicly available at https://doi.org/10.7924/r4nv9kp8v.
Article and author information
Author details
Funding
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation (Sloan Foundation)
- Eva A Naumann
Office of Research Infrastructure Programs, National Institutes of Health (SBIR R44OD024879)
- Eric Thomson
- Mark Harfouche
- Sunanda Sharma
- Timothy W Dunn
- Eva A Naumann
National Cancer Institute (SBIR R44CA250877)
- Mark Harfouche
- Sunanda Sharma
- Jaehee Park
National Science Foundation (NSF 2036439)
- Mark Harfouche
- Sunanda Sharma
- Jaehee Park
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (SBIR R43EB030979-01)
- Mark Harfouche
- Sunanda Sharma
- Jaehee Park
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Ethics
Animal experimentation: All experiments followed the US Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, under the protocol A083-21-04 approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of Duke University School of Medicine. All experiments on zebrafish were performed according to these standards and every effort was made to minimize suffering.
Copyright
© 2022, Thomson et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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Gigapixel imaging with a novel multi-camera array microscope
eLife 11:e74988.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.74988
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