A Real Eureka Moment (IMAGE)

University of Leicester

A Real Eureka Moment

Caption

Enhanced fluorescence image of a fat droplet-laden tubercle bacillus in a patient's sputum. Professor Mike Barer, University of Leicester, describes seeing this cell while working in the Medical Research Council labs in the Gambia as "a real eureka moment." He said: "We think these red-stained droplets signify the bug's readiness for transmission and suspect that the higher the proportion of droplet-laden cells in the sample, the slower the patient will respond to treatment." The cell is around one hundred thousandth of a millimeter in length, and it is very difficult obtain clear images in sputum samples at this magnification. The image has been enhanced to give a stronger impression of the cell structure.

Credit

Image adapted from Microbiology-SGM 148:2002:2951-2958, with permission

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