At first glance, a pair of award-winning images created by University postgraduate researcher Catarina Moura seem to have a seasonal theme.
But look more closely and you’ll see that the component parts of the pictures (or micrographs) of a Christmas tree and seasonal wreath are actually comprised of stem cells created using innovative laser-based imaging techniques used as part of a regenerative medicine research programme in Southampton.
The green circular objects in the pictures are collagen cells and the red ‘dots’ are fat cells, both extracted from human bone marrow which Catarina has colour-enhanced electronically to bring out their detail. Normally, the collagen cells that appear green on Catarina’s tree and wreath images would be bluer in colour but, she says, the fat cells would certainly appear red with the lasers used.
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