Biological applications of X-ray microtomography: imaging micro-anatomy, molecular expression and organismal diversity

X-ray microtomographic imaging is coming into more widespread use in life sciences research. Micro-CT produces whole-volume images of intact samples with resolutions extending into the range of light microscopy and is most powerful in combination with other imaging techniques. The versatility of lab-based micro-CT systems makes them well-suited to a wide variety of applications in biological research, from comparative embryology and functional microanatomy to developmental paleontology. Simple contrast staining enables histology-scale 3D imaging of intact soft tissues in embryos, insects, and other soft-bodied specimens. The inherent size calibration of tomographic images offers the potential for quantitative analysis and modeling. Here I describe some current applications of x-ray microtomographic imaging to research in the life sciences.