LAUSR

Although much research has been done to generate EM-resolution 3D models of rodent islets [1,2], the use of human islets has been relatively unexplored. To analyze these, we developed a pipeline to rapidly and precisely screen fixed and stained human islets for high-resolution focused ion beam (FIB) nanotomography. Upon close examination, we find physical evidence of granule exchange between islet endocrine cells, as well as junctional structures previous not described in islets. The novelty of this work is two-fold: the application of FIB-SEM to studying human islet tissue, and the discovery of new structural elements that can potentially link morphological and functional aspects of islet anatomy.