Featured Publications
Enhanced FIB-SEM systems for large-volume 3D imaging
Xu CS, Hayworth KJ, Lu Z, Grob P, Hassan AM, García-Cerdán JG, Niyogi KK, Nogales E, Weinberg RJ, Hess HF. Enhanced FIB-SEM systems for large-volume 3D imaging. ELife 2017, 6: e25916. PMID: 28500755, PMCID: PMC5476429, DOI: 10.7554/elife.25916.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFIB-SEM systemFocused Ion Beam Scanning Electron MicroscopyIon beam scanning electron microscopyBeam scanning electron microscopyLong-term system stabilityScanning electron microscopyNovel high-resolution techniqueSystem stabilityFIB-SEMElectron microscopyHigh resolutionHigh-resolution techniquesSmall volume
2023
A complete reconstruction of the early visual system of an adult insect
Chua N, Makarova A, Gunn P, Villani S, Cohen B, Thasin M, Wu J, Shefter D, Pang S, Xu C, Hess H, Polilov A, Chklovskii D. A complete reconstruction of the early visual system of an adult insect. Current Biology 2023, 33: 4611-4623.e4. PMID: 37774707, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.021.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchComparative connectomics and escape behavior in larvae of closely related Drosophila species
Zhu J, Boivin J, Pang S, Xu C, Lu Z, Saalfeld S, Hess H, Ohyama T. Comparative connectomics and escape behavior in larvae of closely related Drosophila species. Current Biology 2023, 33: 2491-2503.e4. PMID: 37285846, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.05.043.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRelated Drosophila speciesDrosophila speciesEscape behaviorDrosophilid speciesRelated speciesMelanogasterSantomeaVentral nerve cordPlausible mechanistic explanationCommon partnerBehavioral traitsMolecular componentsNoxious cuesComparative connectomicsUnderlying neural circuitsSpeciesDownstream partnersMDIVMechanistic explanation
2022
En bloc preparation of Drosophila brains enables high-throughput FIB-SEM connectomics
Lu Z, Xu C, Hayworth K, Pang S, Shinomiya K, Plaza S, Scheffer L, Rubin G, Hess H, Rivlin P, Meinertzhagen I. En bloc preparation of Drosophila brains enables high-throughput FIB-SEM connectomics. Frontiers In Neural Circuits 2022, 16: 917251. PMID: 36589862, PMCID: PMC9801301, DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.917251.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBrainConnectomeDrosophilaMicroscopy, Electron, ScanningSynapsesVolume Electron Microscopy
2019
Cortical column and whole-brain imaging with molecular contrast and nanoscale resolution
Gao R, Asano SM, Upadhyayula S, Pisarev I, Milkie DE, Liu TL, Singh V, Graves A, Huynh GH, Zhao Y, Bogovic J, Colonell J, Ott CM, Zugates C, Tappan S, Rodriguez A, Mosaliganti KR, Sheu SH, Pasolli HA, Pang S, Xu CS, Megason SG, Hess H, Lippincott-Schwartz J, Hantman A, Rubin GM, Kirchhausen T, Saalfeld S, Aso Y, Boyden ES, Betzig E. Cortical column and whole-brain imaging with molecular contrast and nanoscale resolution. Science 2019, 363 PMID: 30655415, PMCID: PMC6481610, DOI: 10.1126/science.aau8302.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDopaminergic neuronsDendritic spinesMouse cortexPresynaptic densitySynaptic proteinsBrain regionsLarge-scale studiesCortical columnsLattice light-sheet microscopyNeural activityNeural developmentSpecific molecular constituentsBrainLight-sheet microscopyDegree of stereotypyNanoscale spatial relationshipExpansion microscopy
2017
A connectome of a learning and memory center in the adult Drosophila brain
Takemura SY, Aso Y, Hige T, Wong A, Lu Z, Xu CS, Rivlin PK, Hess H, Zhao T, Parag T, Berg S, Huang G, Katz W, Olbris DJ, Plaza S, Umayam L, Aniceto R, Chang LA, Lauchie S, Ogundeyi O, Ordish C, Shinomiya A, Sigmund C, Takemura S, Tran J, Turner GC, Rubin GM, Scheffer LK. A connectome of a learning and memory center in the adult Drosophila brain. ELife 2017, 6: e26975. PMID: 28718765, PMCID: PMC5550281, DOI: 10.7554/elife.26975.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMB output neuronsDopaminergic neuronsKenyon cellsΑ-lobeMushroom bodiesAdult Drosophila brainUnderlying neuronal circuitsDirect synapseSlow depolarizationNeuronal circuitsSynaptic connectionsMemory centerDrosophila brainSynapsesNeuronsMemory formationOutput neuronsMajor siteSensory informationDAN activationSparse activitySensory modalitiesMemory recallUnanticipated classBrain