Gallery: Nikon Small World celebrates 50 years of photomicrography
For 50 years now, camera company Nikon has been highlighting microscopic marvels with the annual Nikon Small World photomicrography competition. Headlining this year’s winners is a groundbreaking view of mouse brain tumor cells.
The Nikon Small World competition celebrates the art of science, bringing our attention to the minute details we all too often overlook. As such, common subjects include human, animal and plant cells, slime mold, extreme close-ups of insects, and physical processes frozen in time. Entries aren’t just prized on their aesthetics, but also their scientific value.
That’s clear in this year’s overall winner, which was awarded to Dr. Bruno Cisterna and Dr. Eric Vitriol. Their photo shows differentiated mouse brain tumor cells, specifically highlighting components like the actin cytoskeleton, microtubules and nuclei. Importantly, it shows how disruptions to those components can lead to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and ALS.