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Related Concept Videos

Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy01:20

Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy

To be visualized by an electron microscope, either transmission or scanning, biological samples need to be fixed (stabilized) so the electron beam does not destroy them and dried thoroughly (desiccated/dehydrated) so the vacuum does not affect them. Fixation needs to be done as quickly as possible because the sample properties will start changing as soon as it is removed from its natural environment. For example, in a tissue sample, the oxygen levels begin decreasing, causing an altered...
Cryo-electron Microscopy01:28

Cryo-electron Microscopy

Conventional electron microscopy (EM) involves dehydration, fixation, and staining of biological samples, which distorts the native state of biological molecules and results in several artifacts. Also, the high-energy electron beam damages the sample and makes it difficult to obtain high-resolution images. These issues can be addressed using cryo-EM, which uses frozen samples and gentler electron beams. The technique was developed by Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank, and Richard Henderson, for...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 21, 2026

Electron Cryotomography of Bacterial Cells
14:23

Electron Cryotomography of Bacterial Cells

Published on: May 6, 2010

Electron cryomicroscopy methods.

V M Unger1

  • 1Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8024, USA. vinzenz.unger@yale.edu

Current Opinion in Structural Biology
|January 12, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Electron cryomicroscopy reveals detailed structures of biological molecules. This technique visualizes complex assemblies like aquaporins and viruses, advancing structural biology.

Area of Science:

  • Structural biology
  • Biophysics
  • Molecular imaging

Background:

  • Electron cryomicroscopy (Cryo-EM) is a powerful technique for determining the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules.
  • Advancements in Cryo-EM have enabled higher resolution imaging of complex biological systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the versatility and impact of electron cryomicroscopy in structural biology.
  • To showcase recent high-resolution structures obtained using Cryo-EM.

Main Methods:

  • Electron cryomicroscopy (Cryo-EM) was employed to visualize biological samples.
  • Image processing and computational methods were used to reconstruct high-resolution 3D structures.

Main Results:

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Preparing Lamellae from Vitreous Biological Samples Using a Dual-Beam Scanning Electron Microscope for Cryo-Electron Tomography

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Workflow Using a Cryogenic Coincident Fluorescence, Electron, and Ion Beam Microscope for Targeted Milling of Cells
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Workflow Using a Cryogenic Coincident Fluorescence, Electron, and Ion Beam Microscope for Targeted Milling of Cells

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Last Updated: Jul 21, 2026

Electron Cryotomography of Bacterial Cells
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Published on: May 6, 2010

Preparing Lamellae from Vitreous Biological Samples Using a Dual-Beam Scanning Electron Microscope for Cryo-Electron Tomography
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Preparing Lamellae from Vitreous Biological Samples Using a Dual-Beam Scanning Electron Microscope for Cryo-Electron Tomography

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Workflow Using a Cryogenic Coincident Fluorescence, Electron, and Ion Beam Microscope for Targeted Milling of Cells
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  • Determined the 3.8 Å resolution structure of the membrane protein aquaporin.
  • Obtained an 8.5 Å resolution view of the herpesvirus capsid.
  • Resolved the 10 Å structure of the spliceosomal U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein complex.

    • Conclusions:

    • Electron cryomicroscopy is a versatile technique with broad applications in structural biology.
    • High-resolution structures of diverse biological assemblies can be achieved using Cryo-EM.
    • Cryo-EM continues to drive significant advances in understanding molecular mechanisms.