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Physics Colloquium: X-RAY BASED 3D HISTOLOGY OF BIOLOGICAL TISSUES
Start: 16/09/2022, 12:00
End: 16/09/2022, 13:00
Contact:Sandra Josias - 0218083391
Location: Lecture Hall Delta (Room 1011), Merensky Building

​Biological tissues are highly complex in their composition and microstructural organization. The 3D spatial organization of the tissue constituents, such as proteins, cells, extracellular matrix (ECM) or functional units, is crucial for a proper in vivo functioning. To better understand the effect of a pathology on the functioning of a tissue, visualizing and characterizing the 3D microstructure and composition of these tissue constituents would, thus, be crucial. Measurements made in 2D, however, only partially reveal the full 3D microstructure. Indeed, conventional, and even digital 2D histological assessment are largely unsatisfactory for spatial assessment of biological tissues, because the restricted sectioning orientation and the limited depth resolution only partially reveal their full 3D morphology, but also because they lack reproducibility on a large scale (sample destruction). In this overview, the potential and added value of contrast-enhanced X-ray microfocus computed tomography (CECT) is compared to conventional 2D histological imaging techniques. CECT is a very recent development in the microCT imaging field and allows X-ray-based 3D histology of both soft and mineralized tissues. Currently, we are focusing on the further development of novel, tissue-specific Contrast enhancing staining agents, on the combination with deep learning-based image analysis for improved quantitative 3D analysis of the CECT datasets, and on 4D-CECT, which combines in-situ mechanical testing with CECT imaging; this all to further improve the knowledge on the link between the microstructure of a tissue and its functional behavior.​