Nickel Grid Preparation
Nickel Grid Preparation - Related Videos
08:40
Gyroid Nickel Nanostructures from Diblock Copolymer Supramolecules
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Cited by 3 •
2014
This article describes the preparation of well-ordered nickel nanofoams via electroless metal deposition onto nanoporous templates obtained from self-assembled diblock copolymer based supramolecules.
08:01
Visualizing Proteins and Macromolecular Complexes by Negative Stain EM: from Grid Preparation to Image Acquisition
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Cited by 137 •
2011
Visualizing protein samples by negative stain electron microscopy (EM) has become a popular structural analysis method. It is useful for quantitative structural analysis, such as calculating a 3D reconstruction of the molecules being studied, and also for qualitative examination of the quality of protein preparations. In this article we present detailed protocols for preparing the EM grids, staining the sample and visualizing the sample in an electron microscope. Novice users can follow these...
05:05
Preparation of High-Temperature Sample Grids for Cryo-EM
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Cited by 5 •
2021
This paper provides a detailed protocol for preparing sample grids at temperatures as high as 70 °C, prior to plunge freezing for cryo-EM experiments.
10:05
Fast Grid Preparation for Time-Resolved Cryo-Electron Microscopy
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2021
Here, we provide a detailed protocol for the use of a rapid grid making device for both fast grid-making and for rapid mixing and freezing to conduct time-resolved experiments.
04:51
Streptavidin-Affinity Grid Fabrication for Cryo-Electron Microscopy Sample Preparation
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Cited by 15 •
2023
A step-by-step protocol for fabricating streptavidin affinity grids is provided for use in structural studies of challenging macromolecular samples by cryo-electron microscopy.
FAQs
Nickel provides a chemically compatible alternative when copper is not suitable for a particular specimen or labeling workflow. This choice can be important for biological preparations that require different support conditions during imaging. In cancer research, selecting nickel may help preserve access to tissue sections, cellular fractions, or immunolabeled samples that need an alternative conductive grid material.
The support film creates the surface on which an ultrathin section or other biological specimen can be mounted. Securing that film to the nickel grid helps maintain specimen stability during subsequent contrasting, immunogold labeling, liquid removal, and electron-microscope examination. Its role is therefore central to obtaining a supported preparation rather than placing the specimen directly on the metal grid.
Contrasting and immunogold labeling provide different forms of structural or molecular information. Contrasting is used when the preparation needs enhanced visibility for electron microscopy, whereas immunogold labeling marks molecular targets within the specimen. Using either approach, or combining them where appropriate, allows investigators to examine ultrastructure alongside selected molecular markers in biological samples.
The workflow begins by cleaning the nickel grid, securing its support film, and loading the biological specimen. The preparation is then contrasted or immunogold-labeled according to the imaging objective. Finally, excess liquid is removed before microscopy. These sequential handling steps support a stable specimen and help prepare the grid for high-resolution examination.
Prepared nickel grids can support ultrathin tissue sections, cellular fractions, and immunolabeled samples relevant to cancer studies. This range allows investigators to examine tumor-cell ultrastructure and organelles, while also studying virus-host interactions or molecular markers. The selected specimen type determines whether the preparation emphasizes cellular architecture, subcellular components, or labeled biological targets.
At high resolution, these preparations can reveal features of tumor-cell ultrastructure and organelles that support investigation of disease mechanisms. They can also help visualize virus-host interactions and molecular markers when immunogold labeling is used. Comparing such observations across samples may contribute to studies of cancer biology and treatment response, within the limits of the prepared specimen and labeling strategy.