title: Ultrastructurally smooth thick partitioning and volume stitching for large-scale connectomics.
abstract: Focused-ion-beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) has become an essential tool for studying neural tissue at resolutions below 10 nm × 10 nm × 10 nm, producing data sets optimized for automatic connectome tracing. We present a technical advance, ultrathick sectioning, which reliably subdivides embedded tissue samples into chunks (20 μm thick) optimally sized and mounted for efficient, parallel FIB-SEM imaging. These chunks are imaged separately and then 'volume stitched' back together, producing a final three-dimensional data set suitable for connectome tracing.
authors: Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, USA.
authors: Kenneth J
authors: KJ
authors: Hayworth
authors: Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, USA.
authors: C Shan
authors: CS
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Psychology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors: Zhiyuan
authors: Z
authors: Lu
authors: Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors: Graham W
authors: GW
authors: Knott
authors: Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, USA.
authors: Richard D
authors: RD
authors: Fetter
authors: Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
authors: Juan Carlos
authors: JC
authors: Tapia
authors: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
authors: Jeff W
authors: JW
authors: Lichtman
authors: Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, USA.
authors: Harald F
authors: HF
authors: Hess
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000648:ultrastructure; D063132:Connectome / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning