UCSF

Appropriate 3D tissue structure supports cell and tissue function; inappropriate tissue structure correlates with cell and tissue dysfunction. Quantitative studies of this structure-function relationship are hampered by a paucity of techniques for tissue structure analysis. Using pancreatic islets as a model system, I have developed a novel method for high-resolution quantitative analysis of 3D tissue structure. Here, I summarize what is known about tissue structure in pancreatic islets, outline the processes of collecting high-resolution spatially quantitative 3D images of tissue and of extracting spatial data, detail qualitative observations of structural phenomena gleaned from observation of hundreds of 3D images of adult human and mouse pancreatic islets, and provide a proof-of-concept quantitative analysis of adult mouse and human islet tissue structure. My dissertation work sets the stage for quantitative study of tissue structure and function not just in healthy adult islets but also in other tissue types, and in unhealthy, developing, or engineered tissue. The rich image datasets acquired are also a valuable resource for both pancreatic biologists and those developing tools for image processing and image analysis.