What are complex oil bodies?
Complex oil bodies are membrane-bound organelles found exclusively in liverworts. They contain aromatic compounds found in a carbohydrate or protein matrix. Their function is not completely understood but it has been proposed that they could be used for anti-herbivory, thermal and UV protection, or storage. The appearance and number of oil bodies in a cell can help with liverwort identification.
How were these photos taken?
These photos were taken at the University of British Columbia Bioimaging Facility. The microscope used was the Olympus BX53 Light/Fluorescence Microscope. In order to photograph a larger number of oil bodies in one photo, a technique called z-stacking was used. Z-stacking is when the camera takes a photo of the sample at multiple planes then combines them together in one image to show a greater range of depth. The resulting image is then able to show more oil bodies than in a regular photo.
