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Scanning electron micrograph of a honeybee's eye. the honey bee has two large compound eyes made up of thousands of tiny light senstitive cells that detect light, colour and movement.

Honeybee eye

Threadworms (coloured green), also known as pinworms, are tiny parasitic worms that hatch eggs and infect the large intestine of humans. Two villi (finger-like projections) in the gut are shown here (coloured brown). Threadworms are the most common type of worm infection in the UK, and are particularly common in young children, infecting up to half of all children under the age of 10. Eggs that are swallowed hatch in the small intestine and then make their way to the large intestine. They are spread from person-to-person as a result of poor hygiene. If one member of a household is infected, there is a high risk that other members will also be infected. Horizontal field width is 100 micrometres.

Threadworms (Enterobius vermicularis) in the villi of the gut

Scanning electron micrograph of the head of a honeybee showing the eyes, antennae and mouthparts. The honeybee has two large compound eyes on the side of its head made up of thousands of light sensitive cells that detect light, colour and movement. 



 The two antennae extending out the centre of the head primarily detect smell and may also help to judge flight speed. The mouth comprises a long central hairy tongue, or proboscis, to lap up nectar and honey (not shown in this image) and a pair of mandibles that are used for grasping and cutting. The mandibles are used to break open anthers to eat pollen, cut and shape wax and are also useful for griping the enemy in combat.

Head of a honeybee

Human colon cancer cells in culture. Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in Britain. People are more likely to develop this cancer if they eat a diet high in animal fats.

Co-polymers used for drug delivery. Polymers that do not dissolve in acidic solutions can be used to coat a drug to prevent it being released in the stomach, alternatively, slowly dissolving polymers can be used to produce a slow release of drug, to reduce the number of times a day the patient has to take their medication. Polymers are also used to target the release of a drug to a specific part of the digestive tract for the treatment of a particular disease thus reducing side effects in other parts of the body. 

The larger orange spheres are 100micrometres in diameter.

Microparticle drug delivery

Crystals of the drug cocaine, a class A illegal drug in the UK.

Cocaine is crystalline tropane alkaloid and is both a stimulant of the central nervous system and an appetite suppressant.

Cocaine crystals

False-coloured scanning electron micrograph of a honeybee. The bee has a hairy thorax and segmented abdomen, a pair of double wings and three pairs of segmented legs. Each leg has a different 'tool' designed for a specific function to assist in the collection and transport of pollen to the hive. 


In order to preserve the fine detail on the bee's body this sample was not imaged in the conventional way. Normally, samples are coated in a fine layer of gold and imaged under high vacuum, However, this honeybee was imaged uncoated and under 'environmental conditions', resulting in the fluffy texture seen here.

Bees are important pollinators and play a crucial role in maintaining our environment, promoting the growth of crops and flowers many of which directly impact on our own health and wellbeing. The honeybee's complex flight pattern is also helping scientists to understand more about the how the brain works.

2011 Wellcome Image Award winner. Wellcome Image Awards 2011.

Honey Bee

False-coloured scanning electron micrograph of beta blocker crystals. Atenolol is a selective ß1 receptor antagonist, a drug belonging to the group of beta blockers (sometimes written ß-blockers), a class of drugs used primarily in cardiovascular diseases. Atenolol was developed as a replacement for propranolol in the treatment of hypertension. The chemical works by slowing down the heart and reducing its workload. The crystal group is 250 microns.

Beta blocker crystals

A cluster of breast cancer cells showing visual evidence of programmed cell death (apoptosis).

Breast cancer cells

False-coloured scanning electron micrograph of caffeine crystals. Caffeine is a bitter, crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks, enjoy great popularity, and 90% of adults consume caffeine daily. Wellcome Image Awards 2012.

Caffeine crystals

A colour-enhanced image showing a cluster of <I>Clostridium difficile</I> on a surface. Wellcome Image Awards 2008.

Clostridium difficile

A cluster of liposomes. These are spherical lipid bilayers used in drug delivery and gene therapy. They fuse with the cell membrane and deliver the enclosed products directly into the cells.

Liposomes

Undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells growing in culture with fibroblasts. The fibroblasts have been treated so they don't divide but are present to provide factors that maintain the stem cells in their undifferentiated state. The stem cells appear to be underneath a layer of fibroblasts. The stem cell line is derived from the inner cell mass of a human embryo.

Human embryonic stem cells

SEM of a ripening blackberry, the edible aggregate fruit of some plant species in the genus Rubus. Many individual drupelets are clearly visible. To create this incredibly detailed 3D image, multiple scanning electron micrographs were combined together, then digitally coloured and shaded. The high water content of the fruit means the cells distort very quickly during the imaging process as they lose their water content under vacuum.

Ripening blackberry

A false colour SEM of a grain of pollen from a peony plant. Peonies are herbaceous plants native to Asia, Southern Europe and Northern America. There are more than 50 species and their name is derived from Paeon, a student of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing.

Peony pollen

Digital artwork illustrating a blood clot forming in a blood vessel. Atherosclerosis is a condition in which an artery wall thickens as the result of a build-up of fatty materials such as cholesterol. Suffering with atherosclerotic disease, plaque deposits form along the lining of the artery and grow to cause a narrowing of the vessel which may cause a heart attack or stroke. The plaque can rupture causing a blood clot which forms at the site of the ruptured plaque the clot can completely or partially occlude the blood flow at that point. In arteries, the primary clotting mechanism depends on platelets

Blood clot forming in arterial plaque

Co-polymers used for drug delivery. Polymers that do not dissolve in acidic solutions can be used to coat a drug to prevent it being released in the stomach, alternatively, slowly dissolving polymers can be used to produce a slow release of drug, to reduce the number of times a day the patient has to take their medication. Polymers are also used to target the release of a drug to a specific part of the digestive tract for the treatment of a particular disease thus reducing side effects in other parts of the body. 

The large purple sphere is 100micrometres in diameter.

Human embryonic stem cell (gold) growing on a layer of supporting cells (fibroblasts). Stem cells are derived from very early embryos and can either be grown to stay in their original state or triggered to form almost any type of human cell. The fibroblasts provide special factors that maintain the stem cells in their original state. The stem cell appears to be grasped by the underlying fibroblast. Stem cell research could lead to cures for many diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's and diabetes, where a patient's cells are damaged or absent.

A cluster of breast cancer cells showing visual evidence of programmed cell death (apoptosis) in yellow.

Each cell is 15 micrometers across. Wellcome Image Awards 2008.

Grains of pollen from an impatiens plant, also known as Busy Lizzie.

Impatiens pollen

Scanning electron micrograph of a honeybee. Honey bees have a short hairy thorax and a long segmented abdomen, three pairs of segmented legs and a pair of large compound eyes, all of which can be seen clearly in this micrograph.

Honeybee

Co-polymers used for a drug delivery system known as particle in particle. The inner particle, shown in orange, is loaded with the drug prednisolone, used to treat inflammatory bowel disease. The outer particle, in blue, is a co-polymer which encapsulates the inner particle. 

Polymers that do not dissolve in acidic solutions can be used to coat a drug to prevent it being released in the stomach, alternatively, slowly dissolving polymers can be used to produce a slow release of drug, to reduce the number of times a day the patient has to take their medication. Polymers are also used to target the release of a drug to a specific part of the digestive tract for the treatment of a particular disease thus reducing side effects in other parts of the body. 

The diameter of each microparticle is approximately 20 micrometres.

Wellcome Image Award winner 2009 Wellcome Image Awards 2009.

An isolated retinal ganglion cell. This is a type of neuron typically located near the inner surface of the retina of the eye that receives visual information from photoreceptors via two intermediate neuron types. Retinal ganglion cells collectively transmit visual information from the retina to several regions in the thalamus, hypothalamus, and midbrain. They vary significantly in terms of their size, connections, and responses to visual stimulation but they all share the defining property of having a long axon that extends into the brain. These axons form the optic nerve, optic chiasm, and optic tract.

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Honeybee eye

Threadworms (Enterobius vermicularis) in the villi of the gut

Head of a honeybee

Human colon cancer cells in culture. Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in Britain. People are more likely to develop this cancer if they eat a diet high in animal fats.

Microparticle drug delivery

Threadworms (Enterobius vermicularis) in the villi of the gut

Cocaine crystals

Honey Bee

Beta blocker crystals

Breast cancer cells

Caffeine crystals

Clostridium difficile

Liposomes

Human embryonic stem cells

Ripening blackberry

Peony pollen

Blood clot forming in arterial plaque

Microparticle drug delivery

Breast cancer cells

Impatiens pollen

Honeybee

Microparticle drug delivery

Retinal ganglion cell

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More filters

Active filters:

Honeybee eye

Threadworms (Enterobius vermicularis) in the villi of the gut

Head of a honeybee

Human colon cancer cells in culture. Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in Britain. People are more likely to develop this cancer if they eat a diet high in animal fats.

Microparticle drug delivery

Threadworms (Enterobius vermicularis) in the villi of the gut

Cocaine crystals

Honey Bee

Beta blocker crystals

Breast cancer cells

Caffeine crystals

Clostridium difficile

Liposomes

Human embryonic stem cells

Ripening blackberry

Peony pollen

Blood clot forming in arterial plaque

Microparticle drug delivery

Breast cancer cells

Impatiens pollen

Honeybee

Microparticle drug delivery

Retinal ganglion cell

Stay in the know

Wellcome collectionWellcome Collection

Finding us:

Opening times:

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Wellcome collection