Leslie Mebane
Gertler Lab, Koch Institute
Platinum Replica Electron Micrograph

"Precise cell movement is a fundamental physiological process necessary for embryonic development. My thesis work has focused on signaling pathways that modulate cytoskeletal dynamics required for cell motility, neuronal morphology, axon guidance and neuronal branch patterning. I took this image while studying the role of the Ena/VASP family of proteins in neuronal development.

Mice that are null for Ena/VASP proteins have major defects in development of the central nervous system. To study the defects at higher resolution, cortical neurons from littermate controls and Ena/VASP null embroys were cultured in vitro and imaged by electron microscopy."