This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing theresources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject andinvestigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source,and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed isfor the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator.Development of visualization tools for a complex microanatomy.The purpose of this project is to develop a high-resolution 3D visualization of the internal anatomy of the anterior portion of a caterpillar of the tobacco hornworm. This is the model system for insect endocrinology. We are often asked to teach students and colleagues to do disections and survival surgeries on these animals to remove endocrine glands or cut specific nerves. This is a tricky procedure because many internal organs are obscured by others, and because the anatomy is small and it is difficult to orient a learner via a microscope. We therefore want to build a 'virtual caterpillar' with a high resolution internal anatomy that can be used for tecahing and visualization.We need to make a series of MRI sections that will allow us to construct an initial low-resolution 3D model that has the correct dimensions and locations of the internal organs. We will import this into a 3D visualization/modeling program in which we can then refine the shapes of the internal surfaces and add the fine detail not resolved by the MRI. The final product will be a 3D fly-through movie and a 3D model that can be used in the DiVE environment and as a rotatable and zoomable stereo projection on a computer screen.
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