Scientists of the University of Würzburg in Germany published the first three-dimensional atlas of the brain brain of the Bombus Terrestris Bumblebee, created on the basis of microcont-shots. The results of the study are published in the Cell and Tissue Research magazine. The 3D model can be found on Insect Brain Database website.
Researchers held a computer microtomography of a brain of ten working samples, retaining the brain intact and achieve an isotropic image resolution, that is, the same in all directions. At first, insects neatly separated the heads with a surgical scalpel, then the brain inside the head capsule was immersed in a solution of phosphorustoic acid for staining of the brain tissues. After that, each head was placed in a plastic straw at different angles and was performed tomographic scanning with a resolution of 3.5-3.9 micrometer to obtain a series of 2D pictures.
In the final reconstruction, all 30 neuropilles (thorns of neurons processes) were included, distinguishable on tomographic images: Plates (Laminae), Brainstatus (Medullae), Lobulae, Antennal Shares (ANTENNAL LOBES), Ocellar Synaptic Synaptic Plexi), Protocerebral Bridge, Upper and Lower Central Body Department and other departments. To create an atlas, scientists reconstructed the brain of ten bumblebees and led them to averaged three-dimensional brain model.
Bumblebees play the role of a model body for studying training and vision, however, to understand the neurobiological principles underlying insect behavior, scientists require a detailed knowledge of the anatomy of the brain and neural organization. For this purpose and create standard brain atlases, which are already available for fruit flies Drosophila Melanogaster, beetles, OS, butterflies or honey bees Apis Mellifera.