Roth Jeremy A, Wilson Timothy D, Sandig Martin
Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Anat Sci Educ. 2015 Nov-Dec;8(6):574-83. doi: 10.1002/ase.1529. Epub 2015 Mar 23.
Histology is a core subject in the anatomical sciences where learners are challenged to interpret two-dimensional (2D) information (gained from histological sections) to extrapolate and understand the three-dimensional (3D) morphology of cells, tissues, and organs. In gross anatomical education 3D models and learning tools have been associated with improved learning outcomes, but similar tools have not been created for histology education to visualize complex cellular structure-function relationships. This study outlines steps in creating a virtual 3D model of the renal corpuscle from serial, semi-thin, histological sections obtained from epoxy resin-embedded kidney tissue. The virtual renal corpuscle model was generated by digital segmentation to identify: Bowman's capsule, nuclei of epithelial cells in the parietal capsule, afferent arteriole, efferent arteriole, proximal convoluted tubule, distal convoluted tubule, glomerular capillaries, podocyte nuclei, nuclei of extraglomerular mesangial cells, nuclei of epithelial cells of the macula densa in the distal convoluted tubule. In addition to the imported images of the original sections the software generates, and allows for visualization of, images of virtual sections generated in any desired orientation, thus serving as a "virtual microtome". These sections can be viewed separately or with the 3D model in transparency. This approach allows for the development of interactive e-learning tools designed to enhance histology education of microscopic structures with complex cellular interrelationships. Future studies will focus on testing the efficacy of interactive virtual 3D models for histology education.
组织学是解剖学领域的一门核心学科，学习者需要解读二维（2D）信息（从组织学切片中获取），以此推断并理解细胞、组织和器官的三维（3D）形态。在大体解剖学教育中，3D模型和学习工具已被证明有助于提高学习效果，但尚未开发出类似工具用于组织学教育，以可视化复杂的细胞结构 - 功能关系。本研究概述了从环氧树脂包埋的肾脏组织获得的连续半薄组织学切片创建肾小体虚拟3D模型的步骤。通过数字分割生成虚拟肾小体模型，以识别：鲍曼囊、壁层囊上皮细胞核、入球小动脉、出球小动脉、近端曲管、远端曲管、肾小球毛细血管、足细胞核、球外系膜细胞核、远端曲管致密斑上皮细胞核。除了原始切片的导入图像外，该软件还生成并允许可视化以任何所需方向生成的虚拟切片图像，从而充当“虚拟切片机”。这些切片可以单独查看，也可以与3D模型一起以透明方式查看。这种方法有助于开发交互式电子学习工具，旨在加强对具有复杂细胞相互关系的微观结构的组织学教育。未来的研究将专注于测试交互式虚拟3D模型在组织学教育中的效果。
