Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Transmission Electron Microscopy01:15

Transmission Electron Microscopy

In 1931, physicist Ernst Ruska—building on the idea that magnetic fields can direct an electron beam just as lenses can direct a beam of light in an optical microscope—developed the first prototype of the electron microscope. This development led to the development of the field of electron microscopy. In the transmission electron microscope (TEM), electrons are produced by a hot tungsten element and accelerated by a potential difference in an electron gun, which gives them up to 400 keV in...
Overview of Electron Microscopy01:25

Overview of Electron Microscopy

The wavelengths of visible light ultimately limit the maximum theoretical resolution of images created by light microscopes. Most light microscopes can only magnify 1000X, and a few can magnify up to 1500X. Electrons, like electromagnetic radiation, can behave like waves, but with wavelengths of 0.005 nm, they produce significantly greater resolution up to 0.05 nm as compared to 500 nm for visible light. An electron microscope (EM) can create a sharp image that is magnified up to 2,000,000X.
Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction01:07

Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can be used to determine the 3D structure of biological samples with the help of techniques such as electron microscope tomography and single-particle reconstruction. While single-particle reconstruction can examine macromolecules and macromolecular complexes in vitro conditions only, tomography permits the study of cell components or small cells in vivo.
Electron Tomography
Electron tomography can be performed either in TEM or STEM (scanning transmission...
Scanning Electron Microscopy01:07

Scanning Electron Microscopy

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...
Overview of Microscopy Techniques01:22

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...
Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy01:37

Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) provides a better resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing the point spread function (PSF). PSF is the light intensity distribution from a point that causes it to appear blurred. Due to PSF, each fluorescing point appears bigger than its actual size, and it is the PSF interference of nearby fluorophores that causes the blurred image. Various approaches to achieving higher resolution through SRFM have recently been developed.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Nickel and platinum modified exfoliated carbon nitride as photo-thermal catalysts for CO<sub>2</sub> hydrogenation.

Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)·2026
Same author

Pulsed-electron illumination does not reduce beam damage for imaging biological macromolecules.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Ultrastructural diversity and subcellular organization of nigral Lewy pathology in Parkinson's disease.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Structural basis for a filamentous morpheein model of human cystathionine beta-synthase.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

CryoWriter: a robotic solution for improved Cryo-EM grid preparation.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Temperature-dependent ligand relocation reveals plasticity of TRPM4 inhibition.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

Visualization of yeast cells by electron microscopy.

Journal of electron microscopy·2012
Same journal

A method for efficient observation of intracellular membranes of monolayer culture cells by quick-freeze and freeze-fracture electron microscopy.

Journal of electron microscopy·2012
Same journal

Small-angle electron scattering from magnetic artificial lattice.

Journal of electron microscopy·2012
Same journal

Multislice simulation of transmission electron microscopy imaging of helium bubbles in Fe.

Journal of electron microscopy·2012
Same journal

Leaf surface characterization of the Tabu-No-Ki tree Machilus thunbergii using electron microscopy and white light scanning interferometry.

Journal of electron microscopy·2012
Same journal

Prokaryote or eukaryote? A unique microorganism from the deep sea.

Journal of electron microscopy·2012
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography
08:04

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography

Published on: March 12, 2017

High-resolution low-dose scanning transmission electron microscopy.

James P Buban1, Quentin Ramasse, Bryant Gipson

  • 1Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Sciences, University of California at Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA, USA. james.buban@gmail.com

Journal of Electron Microscopy
|November 17, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed low-dose scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) protocols for delicate biological samples. This method achieves high-resolution imaging with radiation doses similar to transmission electron microscopy (TEM), preserving sample integrity.

More Related Videos

Routine Collection of High-Resolution cryo-EM Datasets Using 200 KV Transmission Electron Microscope
09:49

Routine Collection of High-Resolution cryo-EM Datasets Using 200 KV Transmission Electron Microscope

Published on: March 16, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography
08:04

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography

Published on: March 12, 2017

Routine Collection of High-Resolution cryo-EM Datasets Using 200 KV Transmission Electron Microscope
09:49

Routine Collection of High-Resolution cryo-EM Datasets Using 200 KV Transmission Electron Microscope

Published on: March 16, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Microscopy
  • Materials Science
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) advancements focus on high-intensity electron probes for improved signal-to-noise ratios.
  • High electron doses are detrimental to delicate biological specimens, necessitating reduced electron exposure for high-resolution imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe protocols for low-dose STEM image recording using conventional field-emission gun STEM instruments.
  • To maintain the high-resolution imaging capabilities of STEM while minimizing radiation damage to biological samples.

Main Methods:

  • Implementing reduced pixel dwell times during image acquisition.
  • Utilizing reduced gun current in the electron beam source.
  • Employing standard field-emission gun STEM instrumentation.

Main Results:

  • Achieved radiation doses comparable to low-dose transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
  • Successfully maintained high-resolution imaging capabilities in STEM.
  • Demonstrated the feasibility of low-dose STEM for sensitive biological specimens.

Conclusions:

  • Low-dose STEM protocols are effective for high-resolution imaging of biological specimens.
  • Combining reduced dwell time and gun current offers a viable strategy for minimizing radiation damage.
  • This approach enables sensitive biological sample analysis with conventional STEM instruments.