CCDB Tutorial

For up to date issues or problems with this database please see the wiki.
For more information, please visit the Cell Centered Database.

The Cell Centered Database (CCDB) is a web accessible database for high resolution 2D, 3D and 4D data from light and electron microscopy, including correlated imaging. These images can be viewed and downloaded from the site. These images are of sufficient quality for data analysis or teaching materials. They are also tagged with additional information "metadata," which includes species, cell type, age of animal and other relevant information for identifying the specifics for each image.

The techniques which were used to obtain the images range from wide field mosaics taken with multiphoton microscopy to 3D reconstructions of cellular ultrastructure using electron tomography.

From the NIF interface, the user can search the contents of the CCDB and gain access to the thumbnails of the image as well as some of the metadata associated with each image. If a particular image is of interest then one can click on the image and go directly to the CCDB database, where all of the metadata can be accessed.

Users can cite the images and add their own images to the database, so the CCDB also functions as a data repository of images from various labs.

Here, we search the NIF for the word "cerebellum":

The search result brings up many results in images including the CCDB.  Below we have clicked on the Images tab and selected (in red) the CCDB: All information tab.

The image thumbnail is shown along with other metadata such as: Project name, cell name, strain of animal, sex, region of brain etc. Scrolling to the right reveals the rest of the columns.

Below, we show the result of clicking on the second image. Note, clicking on the image navigates you to the Cell Centered Database, where you can download the full size image, find out additional data about the image and it's corresponding data set, and find refine your search if desired.

For more information, please visit the Cell Centered Database.