Measurement of sub-micron motion of fish hearing structures in 4D synchrotron CT Article Swipe
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· 2025
· Open Access
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· DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2025.117654
· OA: W4410300931
Modern bony fishes have developed an intricate system of several anatomical structures which are essential for their acoustic sensing abilities needed for communication, navigation, predator avoidance, and prey detection in aquatic environments. In particular, fishes such as otophysans, have evolved a highly specialized connection between the swim bladder and the inner ears. Whereas there is in-depth knowledge of the morphological diversity, accurately quantifying the minute motions and interplay between the individual components of the hearing apparatus presents a challenge. To address this issue, this study presents a comprehensive pipeline for time-resolved 3D reconstruction and motion analysis of sound-stimulated rigid fish hearing structures captured using 4D synchrotron X-ray tomographic microscopy. The methodology includes gating-based tomographic reconstruction, segmenting the target hearing structure from the captured images, aligning 3D volumes at different motion phases using registration algorithms, and estimating sub-pixel motion of the fish hearing structures with cross-validation. Leveraging the high spatial and temporal resolution of synchrotron CT scans, our work presents a robust, repeatable, and precise method for measuring sub-micron motion patterns, contributing to a deeper understanding of auditory mechanisms in fish. This research offers a solid framework for further exploration of vertebrate sensory systems and has potential applications in the broader field of sensory biology.
