Array tomography: a new tool for imaging the molecular architecture and ultrastructure of neural circuits
Open accessAbstract
Many biological functions depend critically upon fine details of tissue molecular architecture that have resisted exploration by existing imaging techniques. This is particularly true for nervous system tissues, where information processing function depends on intricate circuit and synaptic architectures. Here, we describe a new imaging method, called array tomography, which combines and extends superlative features of modern optical fluorescence and electron microscopy methods. Based on methods for constructing and repeatedly staining and imaging ordered arrays of ultrathin (50-200 nm), resin-embedded serial sections on glass microscope slides, array tomography allows for quantitative, high-resolution, large-field volumetric imaging of large numbers of antigens, fluorescent proteins, and ultrastructure in individual tissue specimens. Compared to confocal microscopy, array tomography offers the advantage of better spatial resolution, in particular along the z axis, as well as depth-independent immunofluorescent staining. The application of array tomography can reveal important but previously unseen features of brain molecular architecture.
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Array tomography is a powerful tool for high resolution imaging and quantification of synaptic density in vivo.
“using array tomography (AT), a powerful tool for high resolution imaging and quantification of synaptic density in vivo (Greer et al., 2010; Margolis et al., 2010; Micheva and Smith, 2007; Ross et al., 2010).”
From Microglia Sculpt Postnatal Neural Circuits in an Activity and Complement-Dependent Manner (2012) · cites this paper as Micheva and Smith, 2007
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“Array Tomography Array tomography was performed as previously described with minor modifications (Greer et al., 2010; Margolis et al., 2010; Micheva and Smith, 2007; Ross et al., 2010; Stevens et al., 2007).”
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Micheva, K. D., & Smith, S. J.
- Affiliations
- Stanford University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Micheva, Kristina D.
- Smith, Stephen J
- Venue
- Neuron
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2007-07
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 25-36
- ISSN
- 0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2080672
- OpenAlex
- W2145504425
- Cited by
- 787
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 45 · 2021: 50 · 2020: 47 · 2019: 55 · 2018: 52 · 2017: 43 · 2016: 54 · 2015: 69 · 2014: 39 · 2013: 57 · 2012: 47
- FWCI
- 15.76
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- erratum (2007-09-06)
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
- www.elsevier.com/legal/tdmrep-license (tdm)
- www.elsevier.com/open-access/userlicense/1.0/ (vor, 2244 d)
- doi.org/10.15223/policy-017 (stm-asf)
- doi.org/10.15223/policy-037 (stm-asf)
- doi.org/10.15223/policy-012 (stm-asf)
- doi.org/10.15223/policy-029 (stm-asf)
- doi.org/10.15223/policy-004 (stm-asf)
- Locations
- Neuron (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience
- G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biophysics › Advanced Fluorescence Microscopy Techniques
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biophysics › Cell Image Analysis Techniques
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Structural Biology › Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications
- Keywords
- array tomography, neural circuits, synaptic structure, ultrastructure, volumetric imaging, serial sectioning, immunofluorescence, fluorescent proteins, z-axis resolution, electron microscopy
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Diagnostic Imaging, Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Fluorescent Dyes, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Immunohistochemistry, Male, Microscopy, Electron, Scanning, Nerve Net, Neurology, Tissue Embedding, Synapsins, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Microscopy, Confocal, Photobleaching, Green Fluorescent Proteins, Rats
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