We're using XRM to visualize and measure how heat impacts pollination to learn how some soybean flowers tolerate heat stress. This is 3D volume rendering of a single intact soybean flower with an overlay of the stigmatic structure. The pollen-filled anthers are ~200um in diameter.

As promised, here's a 3D volume rendering from an XRM scan of a single Arabidopsis flower, showing the anemone-like stigmatic structures on top of the carpel and array of ovules within. The carpel is ~300um in diameter.
@danforthcenter.bsky.social
@zeiss-microscopy.bsky.social

I'm frequently asked if we can use XRM imaging to study Arabidopsis, and the answer is absolutely yes. The pollen grains were segmented using basic grayscale thresholding. This scan used the 4X lens, stayed tuned for results from the 20X.
@danforthcenter.bsky.social
@zeiss-microscopy.bsky.social

This is very exciting, I used the 20X obj lens on our ZEISS 520 Versa XRM to image a fixed and contrast-enhanced intact soybean flower, then trained a Deep Learning model to segment and measure the developing embryo within a single ovule.
@danforthcenter.bsky.social
@zeiss-microscopy.bsky.social

Although it's visually unremarkable, this is an animation from phase contrast geometry scan on our Versa XRM, of fixed maize pollen with NO CONTRAST AGENT.
@danforthcenter.bsky.social
@zeiss-microscopy.bsky.social

In a new collaboration, we're using XRM to study soybean embryo development. The entire flower was fixed, contrast enhanced, mounted in agarose, and this ovule scanned at technical voxel res of 0.7um.
@danforthcenter.bsky.social
@zeiss-microscopy.bsky.social

I'm off to ASPB #PlantBio2025 tomorrow, with a poster and talk on using X-ray imaging in Plant Biology. New soybean imaging to share, like this fly-through animation of the meristematic region from an XRM scan. @danforthcenter.bsky.social @zeiss-microscopy.bsky.social

This is fantastic! I'm very lucky to work with excellent scientists like Dr. Kevin Cox @kcox-bioguy.bsky.social. Here's our foray into XRM imaging of the duckweed species Wolffia australiana. Thanks KC for this awesome collaboration!
@danforthcenter.bsky.social
@zeiss-microscopy.bsky.social

Just trying to cope with the madness, losing myself in a soothing XRM scan of a pennycress flower. @danforthcenter.bsky.social @zeiss-microscopy.bsky.social

Further attempts to stay positive and push the boundaries of X-ray imaging in plant biology, here's a maize root tip. Technical voxel resolution is 0.8um, field of view is about 1mm tall, using the 20X lens on my ZEISS Versa 520 XRM.
@danforthcenter.bsky.social
@zeiss-microscopy.bsky.social

I'm constantly trying to get lost in my X-ray microscopy and forget the outside world. Here's a fly-through from an XRM scan of a fixed & contrast enhanced Beech tree bud, infested with nematodes.
@danforthcenter.bsky.social

In a continuing effort to focus on science, maize pollen fixed, contrast enhanced, and imaged with lab-based X-ray microscopy. Average diameter is ~90um. @danforthcenter.bsky.social

I'm trying to stay positive and push imaging boundaries. The latest fascinating project is XRM imaging of Marchantia colonized by a mycorrhizal fungus. I'm sure there are false positives in this quick manual segmentation, but certainly some cool AMF structures as well. A satisfying first scan.

X-ray microscope imaging of AMF Rhizophagus irregularis colonized maize roots. Colonized roots were excavated and contrast enhanced with ePTA prior to XRM imaging at 1.3um pixel pitch. Still trying to get this to work in situ and avoid using osmium as a contrast agent.

Starting 2025 off with a beautiful XRM scan of a soybean root nodule, contrasted with ePTA. Lovely dataset for someone who's skilled at segmentation!

Another new collaboration, looking at developing tomato flowers using XRM. It will be exciting to see what the mutant looks like compared to this wild type.