Collections

Our Atlas is based on materials of unique neuromorphological collections that have been created over many years by leading specialists studying the nervous system of different groups of vertebrate and invertebrate animals. These collections contain both permanent neurohistological preparations and digitized images of temporary preparations stained by fluorescent probes for fluorescence and confocal microscopy. An important place in the collections of neurohistological preparations is occupied by collections created by the founding figures of Russian invertebrate neuromorphology: academician A.A. Zavarzin, S.I. Plotnikova, G.A. Nevmyvaka, and Yu.P. Lagutenko. The major portion of the collections digitized for this website is stored at the Zoological Institute RAS, one of the oldest academic institution in Russia, famous for its rich repository collections.

Digitisation of the collections for the Atlas was funded by RFBR grant 15-29-02650 "Creation of an open-access database for collections of microscopical preparations: a diversity of model objects for neuroscience, developmental biology and biotechnology".

arrow

List of 
collections

 

Nervous and muscle systems and embryonic stages of the cnidarian Polypodium hydriforme (Cnidaria, Polypodiozoa)

1

The collection includes about 1000 permanent preparations of embryonic stages of Polypodium hydriforme stained with traditional histological stains. This part of the collection was created at the Institute of Cytology RAS and was transferred to the Zoological Institute RAS (ZIN RAS) for storage. The collection also contains confocal images of the nervous system and muscles taken from temporary whole mount preparations of adult cnidarians stained immunohistochemically for serotonin and FMRFamide in the nerve cells and histochemically by phalloidin for muscles. This part of the collection was created at the Taxon Resource Centre of ZIN RAS. The images are kept on the server of ZIN RAS (Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology) and are available from the author.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: E.V. Raikova

 

Nervous and muscle systems of lower bilateral animals (Xenacoelomorpha)

2

The collection contains images of temporary whole mount preparations. The images were taken by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The preparations were created using immunohistochemical staining of nervous elements for serotonin and FMRFamide and histochemical staining by phalloidin for muscles. The collection includes images of the central and peripheral nervous systems and neuromuscular interactions in 10 species from 5 families and 3 classes of Xenacoelomorpha. The work was performed at the Åbo Akademi (Finland). The images are kept on the server of the Zoological Institute RAS (Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology) and are available from the author.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: O.I. Raikova, E.A. Kotikova

 

Nervous and muscle systems of free-living flatworms (Plathelminthes, "Turbellaria")

3

The collection contains images of temporary whole mount preparations. The preparations were created using histochemical staining for cholinergic and cateholaminergic nervous elements, immunohistochemical staining of nervous elements for serotonin and FMRFamide and histochemical staining by phalloidin for muscles. The collection includes images of the central and peripheral nervous systems and neuromuscular interactions in various species of turbellarians. The images were taken by bright-field microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The major part of the collection was created at the Åbo Akademi (Finland). The images are kept on the server of the Zoological Institute RAS (Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology) and are available from the author.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: O.I. Raikova, E.A. Kotikova

 

Nervous and muscular systems of parasitic flatworms (Plathelminthes)

4

The collection contains images of temporary preparations of the whole animals and thin sections. The preparations were immunostained for nervous elements containing serotonin, FMRFamide, substance P and alpha-tubulin and stained histochemically for cholinergic and catecholaminergic nervous elements and by phalloidin for muscles. The collection includes images of the central and peripheral nervous systems and neuromuscular interactions in representatives of different classes of parasitic flatworms at different stages of development. The images were taken by brightfield light microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The images are kept on the server of the Zoological Institute RAS (Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology) and are available from the authors.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: A.A. Petrov, E.A. Kotikova

 

Nervous and muscle systems of rhabditophoran “turbellarians” (Plathelminthes, Rhabditophora)

5

The collection contains images of temporary whole-mount preparations. The images were taken by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The preparations were created using immunohistochemical staining of nervous elements for serotonin, FMRFamide, substance P, neurotensin and alpha-tubulin and histochemical staining by phalloidin for muscles. The collection includes images of the central and peripheral nervous systems and neuromuscular interactions in 40 species of rhabditophoran “turbellarians” from 5 orders: Macrostomomorpha Doe, 1986; Proseriata Meixner, 1938; Kalyptorhynchia Graff, 1905; Neodalyellida Willems et al., 2006; Neotyphloplanida Willems et al., 2006. The images are kept on the server of the Zoological Institute RAS (Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology) and are available from the author.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: A.A. Petrov

 

Nervous and muscle systems of the Rotifera

6

The collection contains images of temporary whole-mount preparations. The images were taken by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The preparations were created using immunohistochemical staining of nervous elements for serotonin and FMRFamide and histochemical staining by phalloidin for muscles. The collection includes images of the central and peripheral nervous systems and neuromuscular interactions in 3 species of rotiferans from 3 families (class Eurotatoria, order Ploima). The collection was created at the Åbo Akademi (Finland) and at the Zoological Institute RAS (ZIN RAS). The images are kept on the server of ZIN RAS (Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology) and are available from the author.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: E.A. Kotikova, O.I. Raikova

 

Nervous and muscle systems of Bryozoa

7

The collection contains images of temporary preparations of 3 species of freshwater bryozoans from different families of the order Plumatellida (class Phylactolaemata). The images were taken by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The preparations were created using immunohistochemical staining of nervous elements for serotonin, FMRFamide and alpha-tubulin and histochemical staining of catecholamine-reactive neurons. Muscles were stained with phalloidin and some preparations were stained with Hoechst. The collection includes images of the central and peripheral nervous systems of the animals, and of the nervous system of polypides and cystides. There are also images of the muscular system, innervation of the colonial base, and neuromuscular interactions in the lophophore and cystide of the zooids. The collection is kept on the server of the Zoological Institute RAS (Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology) and is available from the author.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: K.V. Shunklina

 

Histological preparations of the nervous system of Nemertea

8

The collection contains permanent histological preparations of serial sections made from the whole animals or their parts and stained using Golgi-Colonnier silver impregnation method modified for each species by O.V. Zaitseva or using classic histological staining techniques with Heidenhain's azan and toluidine blue. A substantial portion of the collection consists of histological preparations immunostained for nervous elements containing serotonin, neurotensin, FMRFamide, and acetylcholintransferase and stained histochemically for catecholamines and NADPH-diaphorase (topographic marker of the neurons containing regulatory nitric oxide). The collection includes species of both nemertean classes (Enopla and Anopla). The preparations show the architecture of the nemertean nervous system, the structure of their CNS and sensory organs, and the nervous system of the body wall, proboscis and digestive tract and demonstrate the distribution of various regulatory substances in the peripheral and central nervous systems of different nemertean species. The preparations of each species stained with different methods (various numbers of microscope slides) are stored in separate numbered slide boxes in special storage cabinets located in the Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology of the Zoological Institute RAS (ZIN RAS). Each slide is labelled with all essential identifying information. The collection was created at the Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology of ZIN RAS.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: O.V. Zaitseva

 

Nervous and muscle systems of Nemertea

9

The collection contains images of the nervous and muscle systems of nemerteans from different taxonomic groups. The images were taken by confocal laser scanning microscopy from temporary preparations. The collection includes images of whole mount preparations stained with antibodies against serotonin, alpha-tubulin, and FMRFamide and preparations stained histochemically for nervous elements containing catecholamines and by phalloidin for muscles. The collection shows the architecture of the peripheral and central nervous systems of nemerteans, their sensory organs and neuromuscular interactions. The collection is constantly being expanded by new preparations. The collection is kept on the server of the Zoological Institute RAS (Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology) and is available from the authors.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: O.V. Zaitseva, S.A. Petrov, A.A. Petrov

 

Histological preparations of the nervous system of gastropods

10

The collection contains permanent histological preparations of serial sections of the CNS, sensory organs, individual body regions, entire organs and complete small-sized individuals of 21 gastropod species from several taxonomic groups differing in complexity, habitat and mode of life. The preparations were stained using an original modification of the Golgi-Colonnier silver impregnation method, classical histochemical and histological methods (Heidenhain's azan, toluidine blue and methylene blue, Sudan III, Schiff’s reagent, etc.), or immunostained for nervous elements containing FMRFamide and NADPH-diaphorase (topographic marker of the neurons containing regulatory nitric oxide). The collection was created at the now defunct Department of Comparative Physiology of the Saint-Petersburg State University and at the Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology (LEM) of the Zoological Institute RAS and is currently stored in the LEM.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: O.V. Zaitseva

 

Ultrastructure of the nervous system of gastropods and nemerteans

11

The collection contains images of fine structure of the nervous system, innervation of musculature and receptor elements in gastropods and nemerteans created by electron microscopy. The major portion of the collection consists of images of fine structure of procerebra (the olfactory centers of terrestrial pulmonates) and ultrastructural images of the intestinal wall of several gastropod and nemertean species. The collection was created at the now defunct Department of Comparative Physiology of the Saint-Petersburg State University and at the Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology of the Zoological Institute RAS and is available from the author.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: O.V. Zaitseva

 

Nervous and muscle systems of gastropods in ontogeny

12

The collection contains temporary preparations of various stages of larval and juvenile development of nudibranch molluscs. The images were taken by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The preparations were immunostained for nervous elements containing serotonin, neurotensin, FMRFamide, substance P, GABA, and acetylcholintransferase and stained histochemically for nervous elements containing catecholamines, NADPH-diaphorase and by phalloidin for muscles. The collection shows the development of the nervous and muscle systems in gastropod ontogeny using nudibranch molluscs as a case study. The collection is constantly updated. The images are kept on the server of the Zoological Institute RAS (Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology) and is available from the authors.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: O.V. Zaitseva, A.N. Shumeev

 

Histological preparations of the nervous system of Annelida

13

The collection contains unique permanent neurohistological preparations of the nervous system in the body wall and internal organs, and of the CNS of various annelid species stained supravitally with methylene blue. The collection was created by the author at the I.P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology RAS and was donated by close relatives of Yu.P. Lagutenko to the Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology of the Zoological Institute RAS, where it is currently stored.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: Yu.P. Lagutenko

 

Histological preparations of the nervous system of the earthworm Allolobophora caliginosa (Aporrectodea caliginosa), Annelida

14

The collection contains unique neurohistological preparations of the nervous system in the body wall and internal organs and of the CNS of the earthworm Allolobophora caliginosa (Aporrectodea caliginosa) stained supravitally with methylene blue. The collection was donated by close relatives of G.A. Nevmyvaka to the Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology of the Zoological Institute RAS, where it is currently stored.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: G.A. Nevmyvaka

 

Nervous and muscle systems of the polychaete Protodrilus flavocapitatus (Annelida)

15

The collection contains images of the nervous and muscle systems of the polychaete Protodrilus flavocapitatus. The images were taken by confocal laser scanning microscopy from whole-mount preparations. The collection includes preparations stained by antibodies against serotonin, alpha-acetylated tubulin and FMRFamide. Muscle fibers were stained by phalloidin. The images are kept on the server of the Zoological Institute RAS (Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology) and are available from the author.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: A.A. Petrov

 

Histological preparations of pogonophorans (Pogonophora, Annelida)

16

The collection contains permanent histological preparations of serial sections and whole mounts and temporary preparations of various body regions of pogonophorans living in different regions of the World Ocean. The preparations of each species (various numbers of microscope slides) are stored in separate numbered slide boxes in special storage cabinets located in the Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology of the Zoological Institute RAS. Each slide is labelled with all essential identifying information. The collection includes whole mount and serial-sectioned histological preparations stained using classical histological techniques: Mallory’s trichrome, iron hematoxylin, azocarmine and Heidenhain's azan, and unstained preparations mounted in glycerol-gelatin. This collection is intended for those students, scientists and teachers who want to learn more about the external morphology and internal structure of pogonophorans. This collection also contains a number of type specimens.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: A.V. Ivanov, M.A. Gureeva, N.A. Dmitrieva, O.V. Bubko, R.V. Selivanova, R.V. Smirnov

 

Embryological collection of histological preparations of pogonophorans (Pogonophora, Annelida)

17

The collection contains permanent whole-mount and histological preparations of various ontogenetic stages of pogonophorans ranging from the first stages of cleavage to late larval and postlarval stages. The preparations were stained using classical histological methods: Mallory’s trichrome, iron hematoxylin, and Heidenhain’s azocarmine. The collection also includes unstained preparations mounted in glycerol-gelatin. The collection was created at the Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology of the Zoological Institute RAS (ZIN RAS) and is currently kept there. The preparations of each species (various numbers of microscope slides) are stored in separate numbered boxes in special storage cabinets located in the Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology of ZIN RAS. Each slide is labelled with all essential identifying information. This collection is intended for those students, scientists and teachers who want to learn more about the embryonic and postembryonic development of pogonophorans. The study of the pogonophoran embryonic development is of special interest because some of the traits of these animals allow a wide range of interpretations concerning the position of pogonophorans in the system of animals, which remains one of the mysteries of evolutionary morphology. This collection may serve as a visual study guide for the teaching courses on zoology, embryology, comparative anatomy of invertebrates, evolutionary theory, etc., taught at the departments and schools of biological sciences in the universities.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: A.V. Ivanov, M.A. Gureeva

 

Nervous system and musculature of Polychaeta (Annelida)

18

The collection contains images of temporary whole mount preparations. The images were taken by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The preparations were created using immunohistochemical staining of nervous elements containing serotonin, FMRFamide, alpha-tubulin, and GABA, and histochemical staining of muscles by phalloidin. The collection includes images of the central and peripheral nervous systems and neuromuscular interactions in polychaetes from different families: Nereididae, Phyllodocidae, Syllidae, Hesionidae, Terebellidae, Sabellidae, Capitellidae and some others. The collections is constantly being expanded by new preparations, represented by new species of polychaetes and new staining methods of nervous elements. The collection is intended for those who want to learn more about the diversity of the annelid nervous system using polychaetes, the most numerous annelid class, as a case study. The collection was created at the Department of Invertebrate Zoology of the Saint-Petersburg State University and at the Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology of the Zoological Institute RAS (ZIN RAS). The images are kept on the server of ZIN RAS (Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology) and are available from the author.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: V.V. Starunov

 

Brain of fishes (Pisces)

19

The collection contains permanent histological preparations of the brain of several species of cartilaginous and bony fishes stained using classical neurohistological techniques: Nissl staining and Golgi impregnation. The preparations of each species (several dozens of microscope slides) are stored in separate numbered slide boxes in a special storage cabinet located at the Department of Cytology and Histology of the Saint-Petersburg State University. Each slide is labelled with all essential identifying information. This collection is intended for those students, scientists and teachers who want to learn more about the architecture of the brain and especially its principal region, telencephalon, in several representatives of fishes. The collection is a visual study guide for the teaching courses on zoology, physiology, higher functions of the nervous system, histology, cytology, evolutionary theory, etc., taught at the departments and schools of biological sciences in the universities.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: D.K. Obukhov

 

Brain of the amphibians (Amphibia)

20

The collection contains permanent histological preparations of the brain of several species from the class Amphibia stained using classical neurohistological techniques: Nissl staining and Golgi impregnation. The preparations of each species (several dozens of microscope slides) are stored in separate numbered slide boxes in a special storage cabinet located at the Department of Cytology and Histology of the Saint-Petersburg State University. Each slide is labelled with all essential identifying information. This collection is intended for those students, scientists and teachers who want to learn more about the architecture of the brain and especially its principal region, telencephalon, in several representatives of amphibians. The collection is a visual study guide for the teaching courses on zoology, physiology, higher functions of the nervous system, histology, cytology, evolutionary theory, etc., taught at the departments and schools of biological sciences in the universities.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: D.K. Obukhov

 

Brain of the reptilians (Reptilia)

21

The collection contains permanent histological preparations of the brain of several species from the Class Reptilia stained using classical neurohistological techniques: Nissl staining and Golgi impregnation. The preparations of each species (several dozens of microscope slides) are stored in separate numbered slide boxes in a special storage cabinet located at the Department of Cytology and Histology of the Saint-Petersburg State University. Each slide is labelled with all essential identifying information. This collection is intended for those students, scientists and teachers who want to learn more about the architecture of the brain and especially its principal region, telencephalon, in several representatives of reptilians. The collection is a visual study guide for the teaching courses on zoology, physiology, higher functions of the nervous system, histology, cytology, evolutionary theory, etc., taught at the departments and schools of biological sciences in the universities.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: D.K. Obukhov

 

Brain of the birds (Aves)

22

The collection contains permanent histological preparations of the brain of several bird species living on the territory of Russia. The preparations were stained using classical neurohistological techniques: Nissl staining and Golgi impregnation. The preparations of each species (several dozens of microscope slides) are stored in separate numbered slide boxes in a special storage cabinet located at the Department of Cytology and Histology of the Saint-Petersburg State University. Each slide is labelled with all essential identifying information. This collection is intended for those students, scientists and teachers who want to learn more about the architecture of the brain and especially its principal region, telencephalon, in several representatives of birds. The collection is a visual study guide for the teaching courses on zoology, physiology, higher functions of the nervous system, histology, cytology, evolutionary theory, etc., taught at the departments and schools of biological sciences in the universities.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: D.K. Obukhov

 

Brain of the mammalians (Mammalia)

23

The collection contains permanent histological preparations of the brain of several mammalian species including primates and human. The preparations were stained using classical neurohistological techniques: Nissl staining and Golgi impregnation. The preparations of each species (several dozens of microscope slides) are stored in separate numbered slide boxes in a special storage cabinet located at the Department of Cytology and Histology of the Saint-Petersburg State University. Each slide is labelled with all essential identifying information. This collection is intended for those students, scientists and teachers who want to learn more about the architecture of the brain and especially its principal region, telencephalon, in mammalians and human. The collection is a visual study guide for the teaching courses on zoology, physiology, higher functions of the nervous system, histology, cytology, evolutionary theory, etc., taught at the departments and schools of biological sciences at the universities.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: D.K. Obukhov

 

Nervous system of annelid and mollusk larvae

24

The collection contains images of the nervous and muscle systems of larvae of annelids and molluscs. The images were taken by confocal laser scanning microscopy from temporary whole-mount preparations of larvae at different developmental stages. The collection includes preparations stained with antibodies against serotonin, FMRFamide, acetylated alpha-tubulin and preparations stained histochemically by phalloidin for muscles. The collection is available from the authors.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: L.P. Nezlin, E.E. Voronezhskaya

 

Nervous system of echinoid larvae

25

Collection of images of the nervous and locomotory systems of sea urchin larvae. The images were taken by confocal laser scanning microscopy from temporary whole-mount preparations of larvae at different stages of their development. The preparations were created using immunohistochemical staining of nervous elements for serotonin and acetylated alpha-tubulin and histochemical staining by the FaGlu method for the localization of catecholaminergic nervous elements. The collection is available from the authors.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: E.E. Voronezhskaya, A.L. Obukhova

 

Nervous system of larvae and juveniles of dinophilids (Archiannelida)

26

Collection of images of the nervous and muscle systems of larval and juvenile dinophilids. The images were taken by confocal laser scanning microscopy from temporary whole-mount preparations of juveniles and larvae at different stages of their development. The preparations were created using immunohistochemical staining of nervous elements for serotonin, FMRFamide, tyrosine hydroxylase, acetylated alpha-tubulin and histochemical staining by phalloidin for muscles. The collection is available from the authors.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: E.G. Fofanova, E.E. Voronezhskaya

 

Nervous system and sensory elements in insects

27

Collection of permanent whole-mount preparations of the central nervous system of several insect species stained by retro- and anterograde transport of nickel chloride and whole-mount preparations of hair plates and dome-shaped sensilla of insect appendages. The collection is kept at the Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry RAS.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: I.Yu. Severina, I.L. Isavnina

 

Educational and demonstration collection of histological specimens of the prof. A.G. Knorre Department of Histology and Embryology of the Saint-Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University

28

The collection contains several hundred permanent histological preparations (about 4 thousand) intended for students from all departments of Saint-Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University (SPSPMU) as a demonstrational material for the basic courses on cytology, histology and embryology of vertebrate animals and human. The collection may supplement the standard instructional collections of histological preparations used in teaching the students of all medical insitutions of higher learning and biological departments of universities during the practical classes on histology and embryology. This collection can also serve as a visual teaching aid for the educational courses on zoology, physiology, higher functions of the nervous system, evolutionary theory, etc. The preparations are kept at the Department of Histology and Embryology of SPSPMU.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: 

 

Nervous system of insects

29

A unique collection of permanent preparations of the nervous system of insects that includes the whole-mount preparations of the nervous system stained supravitally with methylene blue and serial sections of optical centers impregnated with silver by the Golgi method. The collection was donated by relatives of S.I. Plotnikova to the Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology of the Zoological Institute RAS, where it is currently stored.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: A.A. Zavarzin, S.I. Plotnikova

 

Nervous system in the ontogenesis of the migratory locust Locusta migratoria

30

The collection contains about 200 permanent histological whole-mount preparations of all five postembryonic stages of locust nymphs and imago, whose nervous system is stained supravitally with methylene blue. Some preparations are whole mounts of the central nervous system stained for the anterograde transport by cobalt chloride and nickel chloride. The collection was created by the author at the Laboratory of Invertebrate Neurophysiology of the Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry and was donated by the author to the Laboratory of Evolutionary Morphology (Zoological Institute RAS), where it is currently stored.

More information... 

Author(s) of the collection: T.V. Kuznetsova