Video Contest Judging for the Seventh Annual Art of Science
Below you will find the video and the caption. Please complete the rubric to the right, and click submit for your score to be entered. Each question on the rubric is based on a score from 0 to 10, with 10 being the highest score. We also encourage your comments on the videos, as this is used as a way to give feedback, and possible quotes for publication.
Expanded Insight
Expanding the View of HD — This 3D video shows human neurons that have been grown in a lab dish for 31 days, derived from a patient with Huntington's disease (HD). What makes this sample unique is the use of a cutting-edge technique called Expansion Microscopy. In this process, the cells are embedded in a special gel that physically swells, allowing scientists to visualize tiny structures with much greater clarity. The sample was imaged using the Nikon A1R Confocal System with a 60x objective, capturing a series of optical slices — known as a z-stack — which were then combined into this 3D rendering using Nikon NIS-Elements software. The neurons were labeled with fluorescent antibodies to detect puromycin, a marker for newly synthesized proteins, and MAP2, which outlines the branching structure of neurons. DAPI, a blue fluorescent dye, was also used to label cell nuclei, helping to orient the viewer within the 3D structure. This image allows us to explore where new proteins are being made within Huntington's disease neurons, revealing spatial patterns that may contribute to the disease — and pointing the way toward future therapies.