Brightfield Microscopy 3D Image Reconstruction

Our goal is the commercial availability of 3-D image reconstruction software algorithms for transmibrightfield microscopy (TLBM). This will have wide commercial acceptance by the biology and health sbecause absorbing stains are used widely, and, in conjunction with 3-D visualization, they have ubiq(for instance, in the study of the effects of toxins on neuronal microanatomy). They will be implemecompatible computer with an accelerator card. The objective of phase I is to determine the feasibilidetail in 3-D imagery and of quantifying physiologically important parameters. In spite of abiquitouphase I research will be focused on a specific neuroscience test bed application. A rat hippocampalwill be imaged. Accurate visualization of dendrites and spines and accurate measurement of their voland other parameters will be demonstrated. Specific tasks to be completed include (1) the implementaof the 3-D optical point-spread function, (2) optical sectioning data collection with a cooled CCD cimplementation of new variations of the algorithms, and (4) visual and quantitative evaluation of 3-mentioned. Comparisons will be made with imagery of the same specimen by high voltage electron micro