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Kadir SR, Lilja A, Gunn N, Strong C, Hughes RT, Bailey BJ, Rae J, Parton RG, McGhee J. Nanoscape, a data-driven 3D real-time interactive virtual cell environment. eLife 2021; 10:64047. [PMID: 34191720 PMCID: PMC8245131 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of cellular and structural biology has reached unprecedented levels of detail, and computer visualisation techniques can be used to create three-dimensional (3D) representations of cells and their environment that are useful in both teaching and research. However, extracting and integrating the relevant scientific data, and then presenting them in an effective way, can pose substantial computational and aesthetic challenges. Here we report how computer artists, experts in computer graphics and cell biologists have collaborated to produce a tool called Nanoscape that allows users to explore and interact with 3D representations of cells and their environment that are both scientifically accurate and visually appealing. We believe that using Nanoscape as an immersive learning application will lead to an improved understanding of the complexities of cellular scales, densities and interactions compared with traditional learning modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shereen R Kadir
- 3D Visualisation Aesthetics Lab, School of Art and Design, and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Andrew Lilja
- 3D Visualisation Aesthetics Lab, School of Art and Design, and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nick Gunn
- 3D Visualisation Aesthetics Lab, School of Art and Design, and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Campbell Strong
- 3D Visualisation Aesthetics Lab, School of Art and Design, and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rowan T Hughes
- 3D Visualisation Aesthetics Lab, School of Art and Design, and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Bailey
- 3D Visualisation Aesthetics Lab, School of Art and Design, and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - James Rae
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, and Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Robert G Parton
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, and Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - John McGhee
- 3D Visualisation Aesthetics Lab, School of Art and Design, and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Abstract
Cells are minute-typically too small to be seen by the human eye. Even so, the cellular world encompasses a range of scales, from roughly a tenth of a nanometer (10-10 m) to a millimeter (10-3 m) or larger, spanning seven orders of magnitude or more. Because they are so far from our experience, it is difficult for us to envision such scales. To help our imagination grasp such dimensions, I propose the adoption of a 'perceptive scale' that can facilitate a more direct experience of cellular sizes. From this, as I argue below, will stem a new perception also of biological shape, cellular space and dynamic processes.
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