Bodin, M. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2025

The Human Organ Atlas

We present the Human Organ Atlas (HOA), an open data repository making accessible multiscale 3D imaging of human organs. The repository also provides software tools and training resources enabling worldwide access, sharing, and analysis of these datasets, facilitating further research and the continued expansion of the HOA. The images are generated using a synchrotron imaging technique - Hierarchical Phase-Contrast Tomography (HiP-CT) that uses the ESRFs Extremely Brilliant Source, spanning whole organ imaging at around 20 m/voxel with local volumes of interest within the intact organs imaged down to [~] 1 m/voxel. This offers a comprehensive exploration of human anatomy, providing unparalleled insights into intricate structures and spatial relationships. The Human Organ Atlas offers researchers, clinicians, and educators a valuable resource for anatomical study, image analysis, medical education, and large-scale data mining.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2019

Ecological speciation in European whitefish is driven by a large-gaped predator

Lake-dwelling fish that form species pairs/flocks characterized by body size divergence are important model systems for speciation research. While several sources of divergent selection have been identified in these systems, their importance for driving the speciation process remains elusive. A major problem is that in retrospect, we cannot distinguish selection pressures that initiated divergence from those acting later in the process. To address this issue, we reconstructed the initial stages of speciation in European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) using data from 357 populations of varying age (26-10 000 years). We find that whitefish speciation is driven by a large-growing predator, the northern pike (Esox lucius). Pike initiates divergence by causing a largely plastic differentiation into benthic giants and pelagic dwarfs; ecotypes that will subsequently develop partial reproductive isolation and heritable differences in gill raker number. Using an eco-evolutionary model, we demonstrate how pikes habitat specificity and large gape size are critical for imposing a between-habitat trade-off, causing prey to mature in a safer place or at a safer size. Thereby, we propose a novel mechanism for how predators may cause dwarf/giant speciation in lake-dwelling fish species.

evolutionary biology↗