Scanning Electron Microscopy
Scanning Electron Microscopy - Related Videos
11:41
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
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2023
Source: Laboratory of Dr. Andrew J. Steckl — University of Cincinnati A scanning electron microscope, or SEM, is a powerful microscope that uses electrons to form an image. It allows for imaging of conductive samples at magnifications that cannot be achieved using traditional microscopes. Modern light microscopes can achieve a magnification of ~1,000X, while typical SEM can reach magnifications of more than 30,000X. Because the SEM doesn’t use light to create images, the resulting pictures it...
08:57
Focussed Ion Beam Milling and Scanning Electron Microscopy of Brain Tissue
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Cited by 105 •
2011
This protocol describes how resin embedded brain tissue can be prepared and imaged in the three dimensions in the focussed ion beam, scanning electron microscope.
06:58
Quantification of Membrane Ruffle Formation Using Scanning Electron Microscopy
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2025
This video demonstrates sample preparation, fixation, and imaging of a macrophage cell that displays membrane ruffles using scanning electron microscopy, SEM. Detailed information about membrane morphology and organization is crucial for understanding the physiological condition of the cells.
01:07
Scanning Electron Microscopy
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2023
A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to study the surface features of a sample by using an electron beam that scans the sample surface in a two-dimensional manner. Typically, areas between ~1 centimeter to 5 micrometers in width can be imaged. SEM can be used to image bacteria, viruses, tissues as well as larger samples like insects. Conventional SEM gives a magnification ranging from 20X to 30,000X and spatial resolution of 50 to 100 nanometers. Fundamental Principles Accelerated...
07:47
Analysis of Brain Mitochondria Using Serial Block-Face Scanning Electron Microscopy
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Cited by 32 •
2016
Mitochondrial visualization and analysis from mammalian brain tissue is a challenging task. Here, we describe how three dimensional (3D) reconstruction analysis from the serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBFSEM) can be used to gain insights on the morphological and volumetric analysis of this critical energy generating organelle.
FAQs
Secondary electrons mainly provide detailed signals from the specimen’s surface, making them useful for visualizing topography and texture. Backscattered electrons contribute information related to specimen composition, allowing differences in material characteristics to appear in the image. Collecting these signals together gives researchers complementary structural and compositional perspectives rather than relying on surface shape alone.
As the focused beam scans successive locations on a specimen, its interactions with the sample produce emitted electrons that are collected to form the image. Variations in the resulting signals create contrast between surface features, textures, and compositional regions. This spatially resolved process allows researchers to examine fine morphological patterns across cells, tissues, microorganisms, or biomaterials.
Biological specimens are prepared for examination under vacuum and commonly coated with a conductive material. These conditions form part of the preparation needed before imaging and support the collection of electron-generated signals from the sample. Because biological material is otherwise difficult to examine in this setting, preparation helps produce interpretable images of surface structure and texture.
A typical workflow includes fixing the specimen, dehydrating it, mounting it, and coating it with a conductive material before examination. Fixation preserves the biological structure, while dehydration and mounting prepare the specimen for placement in the microscope. The coating supports imaging under vacuum, enabling researchers to assess surface morphology and tissue or microbial architecture.
This technique is particularly useful when researchers need detailed information about biological surface morphology or tissue architecture. Applications include examining cell shape, microorganisms, biomaterials, and host–microbe interactions. Its surface-sensitive images can help connect visible structural features with biological function, making it valuable when the relationship between organization and behavior is an important research question.
The images can reveal surface topography, texture, and composition-related differences at high resolution. Researchers may use these observations to compare cellular or microbial forms, examine tissue organization, characterize biomaterial surfaces, or investigate how hosts and microbes interact structurally. These findings provide morphological context that can support interpretations linking specimen architecture with biological function.