Cryo-tem Sample
Cryo-tem Sample - Related Videos
09:17
An Alternative Approach for Sample Preparation with Low Cell Number for TEM Analysis
0 Views •
Cited by 9 •
2016
Here, we present a protocol to prepare samples with low cell numbers for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis.
10:56
An Unbiased Approach of Sampling TEM Sections in Neuroscience
0 Views •
Cited by 3 •
2019
We introduce a novel workflow for electron microscopy investigations of brain tissue. The method allows the user to examine neuronal features in an unbiased fashion. For elemental analysis, we also present a script that automatizes most of the workflow for randomized sampling.
05:05
Preparation of High-Temperature Sample Grids for Cryo-EM
0 Views •
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.
02:32
Sectioning, Staining and TEM Imaging of Embedded Exosomes: A Protocol To Visualize the Structural Features of Exosomes Using TEM
0 Views •
2023
This video describes the technique for preparing a thin section of embedded exosomes. These sections can further be stained and imaged using transmission electron microscopy, or TEM, to study the structural features of exosomes.
08:28
In situ TEM of Biological Assemblies in Liquid
0 Views •
Cited by 8 •
2013
Here we describe a procedure to image viral complexes in liquid at nanometer resolution using a transmission electron microscope.
FAQs
Vitrification preserves water in a glass-like, noncrystalline state rather than allowing ice crystals to form. That distinction matters because crystallization could alter the biological structures being examined. Rapid preservation immobilizes molecules, membranes, viruses, or cells within the thin ice layer, helping structural observations remain closer to the specimen’s native organization.
Because preparation avoids conventional chemical fixation and dehydration, the specimen is not subjected to those treatments before imaging. This supports examination in a near-native state while retaining biological material in the vitrified layer. The approach is useful for studying structural features of macromolecular complexes, membranes, viruses, cells, and individual molecules.
After the vitrified specimen remains at cryogenic temperature, an electron beam records structural information from the preserved material. Depending on the specimen, this can support examination of molecular architecture, cellular organization, or macromolecular complexes. These observations connect physical structure with investigations of biological function in structural biology.
Preparation begins by applying the biological specimen to an electron microscopy grid. The grid is then rapidly plunge-frozen so the sample forms a thin layer of vitreous ice without ice crystallization. The preserved grid remains at cryogenic temperatures for electron-beam imaging, allowing the immobilized material to be examined structurally.
The sample must be sufficiently thin for examination and rapidly frozen under conditions that prevent ice crystallization. After vitrification, it must remain at cryogenic temperatures during handling and imaging. Together, these conditions preserve the specimen within vitreous ice and help maintain the near-native state that makes cryo-TEM valuable for biological structure studies.
Researchers use them when they need structural information from biological material preserved near its native state. Applications include investigating molecular architecture, cellular organization, viruses, membranes, and macromolecular complexes. In biology, these samples support structural biology and high-resolution investigations that relate the organization of biological components to their potential functions.