Light Micrograph Tapestries

Female sex hormone. Polarised light micrograph of crystals of progesterone. Progesterone is the most potent of the naturally-occurring progestogens, a class of steroid hormones. It is derived from pregnenolone, which is itself made by the action of an enzyme on cholesterol. The primary function of progesterone is to prepare the inner lining of the womb for pregnancy. It is secreted by the ovaries following the release of an egg. If this egg is fertilised, the ovaries continue to produce progesterone for four months, after which it is secreted by the placenta. Magnification: x8 at 35mm size.

Inverted bright field light micrograph of an edible wild oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sp.) spores, pictured area is about 170 micrometers wide

Very young moss (likely Bryum argenteum) under the microscope, vertical field of view is about 1.1mm.

Polarised light microscopy of section of human tooth showing central pulp area, dentine layer and part of the enamel layer.

Papaya seed under the microscope, horizontal field of view is about 3mm.

Tooth decay. Polarised light micrograph (PLM) of a longitudinal section through a molar tooth with dental caries, or tooth decay. The tooth consists of enamel (orange) covering the dentine (blue) and the pulp (at bottom centre) with its nerve fibres and blood vessels. Tooth decay (red & black, at centre) is caused by the build-up of plaque, which consists largely of food remains and bacteria. The bacteria feed on the food particles, producing acids as they break them down. If untreated the acid will destroy the enamel and dentine, exposing the pulp and causing intense pain. Eventually the tooth will die. Magnification: x15 at 4.5x6.5cm size.

Tiny fungus under the microscope, likely Scutellinia scutellata or similar

Weevil beetle (likely Larinus carlinae) with fluorescent eyes, reflected visible + ultraviolet micrograph, 31x magnification when printed 10cm tall.

Cerebral cortex nerve cells. Light micrograph of a section through neurones (nerve cells, black) in the cerebral cortex of a human brain. Branching processes (dendrites) receive impulses from other nerve cells and pass them to the cell body (round, two at upper right). Each cell body also has an axon through which it relays nerve impulses to the dendrites of other neurones. Neurones allow information to be received, interpreted and relayed around the body. The grey matter of the cerebral cortex forms the outer layer of the brain that is responsible for conscious thought, memory and language. Magnification unknown.

Spider mite (likely Pacific spider mite or Willamette spider mite) under the microscope, horizontal field of view is about 0.61mm.

Bdelloid rotifer under the microscope, vertical field of view is about 0.24mm.

Retina blood vessels and nerve cells. Confocal light micrograph of the retina, the light-sensitive membrane that lines the back of the eyeball. The tissue has been fluorescently stained. Ganglion cells (orange) receive visual information from photoreceptors beneath this surface, which is relayed to the brain by optic nerve fibres (red). Glial cells (green) offer structural support to the nerve cells. Blood vessels (blue) form branching networks across the retina to supply it with oxygen and nutrients. Magnification: 160x when printed 10 centimetres across.

Retina cells. Fluorescent light micrograph of cells in the retina, the light-sensitive membrane that lines the back of the eyeball. A blood vessel runs from left to right, and numerous other branches are seen. The tissue has been tagged with fluorescent markers specific to certain proteins. The green marks actin filaments that ensheath the vessel and help modulate blood flow by constriction and relaxation. Red marks for red blood cells. Magnification: x200 when printed 10 cm wide.

Hippocampus brain tissue. Light micrograph of a sagittal (side view) section through the hippocampus of a rat's brain showing the nerve cells within it. The hippocampus is a structure of the limbic system of the brain. There is a hippocampus in each cerebral hemisphere, and they are thought to be responsible for spatial awareness and the formation of memories. Different structures have been stained different colours: the nuclei of cells are orange and neurofilaments are blue. Neurofilaments are proteins found in the axons (output processes) of nerve cells.

Extreme macro photo (under the microscope, using 10x microscope objective) of Halyomorpha halys nymph eye.

Lobster mushroom (Hypomyces lactifluorum) under the microscope, reflected light micrograph, horizontal filed of view is about 1.2mm

Melosira diatoms under the microscope

Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. Fluorescent light micrograph of Purkinje cells (green) in the cerebellum of the brain. Purkinje nerve cells have a flask-like body from which numerous highly branched dendrites extend. They are found in the grey matter (cortex) of the cerebellum, at the boundary between the granular layer (blue red) and the molecular layer (red green). The dendrites relay signals to the cell body, which passes them on through its single axon (green) in the granular layer. The cerebellum is a structure at the base of the brain that plays an important role in motor control, sensory perception and learning. Magnification: x380 when printed 10cm wide.

Red onion skin with oxalate crystals under the microscope, horizontal field of view is about 0.24mm.

Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) green leaf cells under the microscope. Magnification is about x824 when printed at 10 centimeters wide.

Tiny leafminer fly head under the microscope, vertical field of view is about 1.1mm.

Onion skin cells under the microscope, horizontal field of view is about 0.61 mm.

Head of Drosophila melanogaster, reflected light micrograph.

Toiled paper under the microscope, iodine-stained, inverted bright filed micrograph.

Light micrograph of aphid's piercing-sucking mouthparts, vertical field of view is about 0.24mm.

Gastrotrich (about 0.16mm in length) from a freshwater sample under the microscope.

Extreme macro photo (under the microscope) of a fly head

Low-power micrograph of a raspberry, pictured area is about 8.5mm wide

Tilia pollen grain, about 45 microns in diameter

Hoverfly (family Syrphidae) with fluorescent blue eyes, reflected visible + ultraviolet light micrograph, 24x magnification with printed 10cm tall.

Slime mold, about 1.3mm in height, likely Didymium nigripes or similar Didymium sp.

Pholiota sp. mushroom spore print under the microscope, inverted bright field micrograph, horizontal field of view is about 243 microns.

Spider leg under the microscope

Micrograph of mold, likely Aspergillus sp., about 1.5mm in height, on a plum seed

Orchid flower with pollen (pollinia) visible under the microscope

Orchid pollen (pollinia) under the microscope