Studies of the physiology and biomechanics of small ( approximately 1 cm) organisms are often limited by the inability to see inside the animal during a behavior or process of interest and by a lack of three-dimensional morphology at the submillimeter scale. These constraints can be overcome by an imaging probe that has sensitivity to soft tissue, the ability to penetrate opaque surfaces, and high spatial and temporal resolution. Synchrotron X-ray imaging has been successfully used to visualize millimeter-centimeter-sized organisms with micrometer-range spatial resolutions in fixed and living specimens. Synchrotron imaging of small organisms has been the key to recent novel insights into structure and function, particularly in the area of respiratory physiology and function of insects. X-ray imaging has been effectively used to examine the morphology of tracheal systems, the mechanisms of tracheal and air sac compression in insects, and the function of both chewing and sucking mouthparts in insects. Synchrotron X-ray imaging provides an exciting new window into the internal workings of small animals, with future promise to contribute to a range of physiological and biomechanical questions in comparative biology.

中文翻译：

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使用同步加速器X射线成像*在生物学结构，功能和生理学方面的进展。

小型（约1厘米）生物的生理学和生物力学研究通常受到在感兴趣的行为或过程中无法看到动物内部以及缺乏亚毫米尺度的三维形态学的限制。这些约束可以通过对软组织具有敏感性，穿透不透明表面的能力以及高空间和时间分辨率的成像探头来克服。同步加速器X射线成像已成功用于可视化毫米级大小的生物，在固定和活体标本中具有微米范围的空间分辨率。小型生物体的同步加速成像已成为最近关于结构和功能的新颖见解的关键，特别是在呼吸生理和昆虫功能方面。X射线成像已被有效地用于检查气管系统的形态，昆虫中气管和气囊的压缩机制以及昆虫咀嚼和吮吸口器的功能。同步加速器X射线成像为小型动物的内部工作提供了一个令人兴奋的新窗口，并且有望在未来为比较生物学中的一系列生理和生物力学问题做出贡献。