When the Utility of Micro-Computed Tomography Collides with Insect Sample Preparation: An Entomologist User Guide to Solve Post-Processing Issues and Achieve Optimal 3D Models
Many techniques are used today to study insect morphology, including light and electron microscopy. Most of them require to specifically prepare the sample, precluding its use for further investigation. In contrast, micro-CT allows a sample to be studied in a non-destructive and rapid process, even...
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/2/769 |
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| author | Francesco Simone Mensa Maurizio Muzzi Federica Spani Giuliana Tromba Christian Dullin Andrea Di Giulio |
| author_facet | Francesco Simone Mensa Maurizio Muzzi Federica Spani Giuliana Tromba Christian Dullin Andrea Di Giulio |
| author_sort | Francesco Simone Mensa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Many techniques are used today to study insect morphology, including light and electron microscopy. Most of them require to specifically prepare the sample, precluding its use for further investigation. In contrast, micro-CT allows a sample to be studied in a non-destructive and rapid process, even without specific treatments that might hinder the use of rare and hard-to-find species in nature. We used synchrotron radiation (SR) micro-CT and conventional micro-CT to prepare 3D reconstructions of Diptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera species that had been processed with 4 common preparation procedures: critical-point drying, sputter-coating, resin embedding, and air-drying. Our results showed that it is possible to further utilize insect samples prepared with the aforementioned preparation techniques for the creation of 3D models. Specimens dried at the critical point showed the best results, allowing us to faithfully reconstruct both their external surface and their internal structures, while sputter-coated insects were the most troublesome for the 3D reconstruction procedure. Air-dried specimens were suitable for external morphological analyses, while anatomical investigation of soft internal organs was not possible due to their shrinking and collapsing. The sample included in resin allowed us to reconstruct and appreciate the external cuticle and the internal parts. In this work, we demonstrate that insect samples destined to different analyses can be used for new micro-CT studies, further deepening the possibility of state-of-the-art morphological analyses. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:58:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2d649ff227ba448bb1be1a151b60265e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:58:38Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-2d649ff227ba448bb1be1a151b60265e2023-11-23T12:52:31ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-01-0112276910.3390/app12020769When the Utility of Micro-Computed Tomography Collides with Insect Sample Preparation: An Entomologist User Guide to Solve Post-Processing Issues and Achieve Optimal 3D ModelsFrancesco Simone Mensa0Maurizio Muzzi1Federica Spani2Giuliana Tromba3Christian Dullin4Andrea Di Giulio5Department of Science, University of Roma Tre, 00146 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Science, University of Roma Tre, 00146 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Science, University of Roma Tre, 00146 Rome, ItalyElettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, 34149 Basovizza, ItalyInstitute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center Goettingen, 37075 Goettingen, GermanyDepartment of Science, University of Roma Tre, 00146 Rome, ItalyMany techniques are used today to study insect morphology, including light and electron microscopy. Most of them require to specifically prepare the sample, precluding its use for further investigation. In contrast, micro-CT allows a sample to be studied in a non-destructive and rapid process, even without specific treatments that might hinder the use of rare and hard-to-find species in nature. We used synchrotron radiation (SR) micro-CT and conventional micro-CT to prepare 3D reconstructions of Diptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera species that had been processed with 4 common preparation procedures: critical-point drying, sputter-coating, resin embedding, and air-drying. Our results showed that it is possible to further utilize insect samples prepared with the aforementioned preparation techniques for the creation of 3D models. Specimens dried at the critical point showed the best results, allowing us to faithfully reconstruct both their external surface and their internal structures, while sputter-coated insects were the most troublesome for the 3D reconstruction procedure. Air-dried specimens were suitable for external morphological analyses, while anatomical investigation of soft internal organs was not possible due to their shrinking and collapsing. The sample included in resin allowed us to reconstruct and appreciate the external cuticle and the internal parts. In this work, we demonstrate that insect samples destined to different analyses can be used for new micro-CT studies, further deepening the possibility of state-of-the-art morphological analyses.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/2/769micro-CTsynchrotron radiation3D-modelsmorphology anatomyentomologycoleoptera |
| spellingShingle | Francesco Simone Mensa Maurizio Muzzi Federica Spani Giuliana Tromba Christian Dullin Andrea Di Giulio When the Utility of Micro-Computed Tomography Collides with Insect Sample Preparation: An Entomologist User Guide to Solve Post-Processing Issues and Achieve Optimal 3D Models Applied Sciences micro-CT synchrotron radiation 3D-models morphology anatomy entomology coleoptera |
| title | When the Utility of Micro-Computed Tomography Collides with Insect Sample Preparation: An Entomologist User Guide to Solve Post-Processing Issues and Achieve Optimal 3D Models |
| title_full | When the Utility of Micro-Computed Tomography Collides with Insect Sample Preparation: An Entomologist User Guide to Solve Post-Processing Issues and Achieve Optimal 3D Models |
| title_fullStr | When the Utility of Micro-Computed Tomography Collides with Insect Sample Preparation: An Entomologist User Guide to Solve Post-Processing Issues and Achieve Optimal 3D Models |
| title_full_unstemmed | When the Utility of Micro-Computed Tomography Collides with Insect Sample Preparation: An Entomologist User Guide to Solve Post-Processing Issues and Achieve Optimal 3D Models |
| title_short | When the Utility of Micro-Computed Tomography Collides with Insect Sample Preparation: An Entomologist User Guide to Solve Post-Processing Issues and Achieve Optimal 3D Models |
| title_sort | when the utility of micro computed tomography collides with insect sample preparation an entomologist user guide to solve post processing issues and achieve optimal 3d models |
| topic | micro-CT synchrotron radiation 3D-models morphology anatomy entomology coleoptera |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/2/769 |
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