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Microvilli (brown) on the luminal surface of intestinal epithelial cells.

Microvilli on epithelial cells

volumes : colour illustrations ; 21 x 21 cm

The Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology.

Colour-enhanced image of a glomerulus in the kidney cortex. Red blood cells are visible in the glomerular capilliaries and a section of the proximal convoluted tubule can be seen at the top of the image.

A glomerlus in the kidney

Colour-enhanced transmission electron micrograph
of myofibrils in an uncontracted skeletal muscle cell (muscle
fibre) showing the structure of the sarcomere with
its dark and light bands between the two Z-discs.
One of the cell's many nuclei can also be seen.
The distance between the two Z-discs is 2.45 micrometres.

Sarcomeres in myofibrils of relaxed skeletal muscle

Colour-enhanced image of mitochondria (red), rough endoplasmic reticulum and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Mitochondria are the energy factories within the cell. Rough endoplasmic reticulum is so-called because it has ribosomes (dark blue) attached to its outer surface. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum has no ribosomes attached and is seen towards the bottom of the image.
The horizontal field width of the sample is 2.9 micrometres.

Organelles within a liver cell

Flea larva

Two capillaries in the glomerulus of the kidney. One contains red blood cells and the other a white blood cell. Between the capillaries is a podocyte. These cells cover the glomerular capillaries with their multiple processes forming the visceral layer of Bowman's capsule.
The horizontal field width of the sample is 10.3 micrometres.

Glomerular capillaries and podocyte

Colour-enhanced image of a nerve containing both myelinated and unmyelinated fibres. A small blood vessel containing red blood cells is present at the lower edge of the nerve.

Myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibres and blood vessel

Colour-enhanced transmission electron microscope image of a polymorphonuclear leucocyte or neutrophil. This type of white blood cell has many lobes to its nucleus - four can be seen here in white/green. The nuclear membrane is highlighted in red. Neutrophils are mainly involved in ingesting and destroying small organisms such as bacteria.

White blood cell - polymorphonuclear leucocyte

Colour-enhanced scanning electron micrograph
of the larva of a dog flea.

Dog flea larva - colour-enhanced SEM

Colour-enhanced transmission electron micrograph
of bacteria isolated from the intestine.

Bacteria from the intestine

Cell from the proximal convoluted tubule in the kidney cortex. The nucleus (purple) has a prominant nucleolus, and many elongated mitochondria (red) fill the cell. The basal lamina and intercellular space is shown in blue.
The horizontal field width of the sample is 13.3 micrometres.

Kidney cell showing nucleus and mitochondria

Colour-enhanced transmission electron micrograph
of epithelium from the syrinx of a bird.

Layer of epithelial cells - coloured

Colour-enhanced image of intestinal bacteria.
The horizontal field width of the sample is 4.8 micrometres.

Intestinal bacteria

Virus particle inside a cell.

Colour-enhanced transmission electron microscope image of a polymorphonuclear leucocyte or neutrophil. This type of white blood cell has many lobes to its nucleus - four can be seen here in white/yellow. The nuclear membrane is highlighted in purple. Neutrophils are mainly involved in ingesting and destroying small organisms such as bacteria. The cell is approximately 8.9 micrometres in diameter.

White blood cell - polymorphonuclear leucocyte - neutrophil

Colour-enhanced electron micrograph of part of a pancreas cell showing the nucleus in blue, mitochondria in orange, a lysosome in red and rough endoplasmic reticulum in green. A nuclear pore is also visible in the nuclear membrane towards the right-hand end.
The horizontal field width of the sample is 2.9 micrometres.

Organelles in a pancreas cell

Colour-enhanced image showing a muscle cell nucleus (purple) with two prominent nucleoli (round, dark areas).

Muscle cell nucleus with two nucleoli

Transmission electron micrograph of myofibrils
within an uncontracted skeletal muscle fibre (a single muscle
cell) of a guinea pig. One of the cell's nuclei is
also visible. Each myofibril is made up of
sarcomeres (contractile units) A sarcomere
extends from one heavy black line (Z line) to the
next. The actin filaments extend from the Z line
towards the centre of the sarcomere. The myosin
filaments form the dark band in the centre of the
sarcomere. These 2 types of filaments slide over
each other to cause the muscle to contract.

Relaxed skeletal muscle showing sarcomeres & nucleus

Colour-enhanced scanning electron micrograph
of an ox louse clinging to a hair.

Ox louse clinging to a hair - coloured SEM

Colour-enhanced image of orf viruses. Orf is a parapoxvirus which mainly affect sheep and goats but can be transmitted to humans who work closely with these animals. It usually manifests as a single lesion on the hands or arms and is also known as contagious pustular dermatitis virus.

Orf virus particles

Colour-enhanced scanning electron micrograph
of a longitudinal section of a dog claw. The
claw is made of keratin and its internal structure
can be seen here.

Section of a dog claw showing structure

Colour-enhanced image of platelets (green) and red blood cells. Platelets are necessary for the blood clotting process and are generated from large cells called megakaryocytes. Neither platelets nor mature red blood cells contain nuclei.

Platelets and red blood cells

Macrophage from a human tonsil containing a phagocytic vesicle (pink) and lysosomes (dark red). The lysosomes degrade the ingested material by subjecting it to strong chemical and enzymatic attack.

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Microvilli on epithelial cells

The Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology.

A glomerlus in the kidney

Sarcomeres in myofibrils of relaxed skeletal muscle

Organelles within a liver cell

Flea larva

Glomerular capillaries and podocyte

Myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibres and blood vessel

White blood cell - polymorphonuclear leucocyte

Dog flea larva - colour-enhanced SEM

Bacteria from the intestine

Kidney cell showing nucleus and mitochondria

Layer of epithelial cells - coloured

Intestinal bacteria

Virus particle inside a cell.

White blood cell - polymorphonuclear leucocyte - neutrophil

Organelles in a pancreas cell

Muscle cell nucleus with two nucleoli

Relaxed skeletal muscle showing sarcomeres & nucleus

Ox louse clinging to a hair - coloured SEM

Orf virus particles

Section of a dog claw showing structure

Intestinal bacteria

Platelets and red blood cells

Macrophage with phagocytic vesicle and lysosomes

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Microvilli on epithelial cells

The Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology.

A glomerlus in the kidney

Sarcomeres in myofibrils of relaxed skeletal muscle

Organelles within a liver cell

Flea larva

Glomerular capillaries and podocyte

Myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibres and blood vessel

White blood cell - polymorphonuclear leucocyte

Dog flea larva - colour-enhanced SEM

Bacteria from the intestine

Kidney cell showing nucleus and mitochondria

Layer of epithelial cells - coloured

Intestinal bacteria

Virus particle inside a cell.

White blood cell - polymorphonuclear leucocyte - neutrophil

Organelles in a pancreas cell

Muscle cell nucleus with two nucleoli

Relaxed skeletal muscle showing sarcomeres & nucleus

Ox louse clinging to a hair - coloured SEM

Orf virus particles

Section of a dog claw showing structure

Intestinal bacteria

Platelets and red blood cells

Macrophage with phagocytic vesicle and lysosomes

Stay in the know

Wellcome collectionWellcome Collection

Finding us:

Opening times:

Today's opening times

Wellcome collection