Applesnail.net

by **Stijn** on Tue Mar 26, 2002 4:08 pm

I did do some work on the 3D anatomy model of an apple snail, but it's far from finished...
But maybe one day... :smile:

by **TheHerper** on Tue Mar 26, 2002 10:41 pm

That should be cool, And it will help alot of people out, (me also) like finding out the sex of applesnails and where everything is located... :grin:

by **joanne** on Mon Apr 01, 2002 6:54 pm

I've been exploring the new "history" thing out there. I just noticed :grin:

by **livercookie** on Tue Apr 02, 2002 1:38 pm

THAT SOUNDS REALLY COOL I HOPE IT WORKS OUT

by **Stijn** on Mon May 06, 2002 1:26 pm

Some test pictures of an adult female Pomacea canaliculata snail.

[ This Message was edited by: Stijn on 2002-05-11 01:10 ]

by **Stijn** on Sat May 11, 2002 12:12 am

Now working on some more abstract, organ specific 3D models. I think I can show some within days (or weeks). Hopefully I can get some interactive versions to works as well.
Anyway, it looks promising here on my screen.

Stijn

by **jasonagray** on Sat May 11, 2002 8:05 pm

stijn- i'd be interested to know how you are getting these pics. what machine are you using? looks too good to be mri.

by **Stijn** on Sun May 12, 2002 7:45 pm

How I made these see-through pictures?
Indeed not with MRI scans.

I actually had to slice a snail in pieces in order to make this model. I realize that not all of you will like this idea, nor do I like this myself. But my motivation to sacrify a snail for this project is as follows: If I can make a 3D model of the whole snail anatomy, one can learn more about these snails without having to dissect them.
A similar project is already done with a frog as subject. See this link http://www-itg.lbl.gov/ITG.hm.pg.docs/Whole.Frog/Whole.Frog.html

Nevertheless, If you don't aggree, I'm always open for your opinions.

Now the more technical explanation:
I sacrified a snail by freezing the snail to -20°C.
Next I fixated the snail in 4% formaldehyde in PBS (fixating agent in a buffer solution). I used this fixation step to make sure that the original snail shape was conserved.
After fixating the snail overnight at 4°C I transferred the snail in formic acid to dissolve the shell. This took about 6 hours.
The snails body was then put in a special medium for making microtome slices (tissuetek) and froozen to -20°C.
Then the reall work could start: I made 132 slices of the snail (250µm thick) and photographed the remainder of the snail after each slice.
Once I had all 132 slices on my computer I aligned them and imported them to a specialized 3D program.
Now I'm in the process of making 3D models. My computer is almost on its knees... crunching all that data. :smile:

Stijn

[ This Message was edited by: Stijn on 2002-05-12 23:27 ]

by **Stijn** on Sun May 12, 2002 10:31 pm

Yes, I have some specialized equipment here are my disposal. That's the advantage of working on a lab :smile:

The machine itself is a cryo-microtome. Normally it's used to make ultra-thin slices for microscopic preparates. However, it also served very well for this snail taks...

by **Stijn** on Sun May 12, 2002 10:55 pm

Here is an early version of a 3D model.
It's far from finished, but it gives an idea...

[ This Message was edited by: Stijn on 2002-05-12 23:55 ]

by **jasonagray** on Mon May 13, 2002 4:31 am

must have taken forever. heres a similar project done on humans, i had saved from a while back.

http://www.madsci.org/~lynn/VH/transverse.gif

by **TheHerper** on Mon May 13, 2002 5:45 am

Jason~ that was a cool link! I saw how they made that on Discovery channel once....

Anyway Stijn, WoW! Your gonna get the Nobel Prize one of these days.....

by **SnailySarah** on Mon May 13, 2002 10:53 pm

Then the reall work could start: I made 132 slices of the snail

so thats where the deli slicer goes after work ends..... ;x

<g>

by **Stijn** on Fri May 17, 2002 11:11 pm

A small movie, like the human movie mentioned by Jasonagray.

http://www.applesnail.net/content/movies/through_snail.mpeg

by **Stijn** on Wed Jun 05, 2002 11:52 pm

Still working on the 3D model.

It takes quite some time I must admit. However, I'm able to trace the heart (both chambers and ampulla), the large vessels, the kidneys, the gill, the lung, the intestines-stomach, the mouth (jaws + tongue), the liver, the oviduct and albumen (yolk) gland and something which could be part of the nerve system.
I didn't expect it to be that hard to distinguish all organs and to have a good understanding how they fit into the body, but well, that where this whole thing is about: helping everyone out with the anatomy of these snails... :smile:

Maybe I will release a first version within 2 weeks (body with intestines and maybe the blood vessels).

Applesnail.net

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