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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...
Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy01:26

Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy

Phase-Contrast Microscopes
In-phase-contrast microscopes, interference between light directly passing through a cell and light refracted by cellular components is used to create high-contrast, high-resolution images without staining. It is the oldest and simplest type of microscope that creates an image by altering the wavelengths of light rays passing through the specimen. Altered wavelength paths are created using an annular stop in the condenser. The annular stop produces a hollow cone of...
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...

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Updated: Jun 8, 2026

A Method for Obtaining Serial Ultrathin Sections of Microorganisms in Transmission Electron Microscopy
09:46

A Method for Obtaining Serial Ultrathin Sections of Microorganisms in Transmission Electron Microscopy

Published on: January 17, 2018

Phase plates for transmission electron microscopy.

Radostin Danev1, Kuniaki Nagayama

  • 1Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan.

Methods in Enzymology
|October 5, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Phase plates enhance cryo-electron microscopy images by improving contrast and signal-to-noise ratio for radiation-sensitive samples. Ongoing research addresses manufacturing and performance challenges for these advanced microscopy tools.

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Miniaturized Sample Preparation for Transmission Electron Microscopy
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Last Updated: Jun 8, 2026

A Method for Obtaining Serial Ultrathin Sections of Microorganisms in Transmission Electron Microscopy
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Published on: January 17, 2018

Miniaturized Sample Preparation for Transmission Electron Microscopy
09:04

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Published on: July 27, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Cryo-electron microscopy
  • Materials science
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Phase plates represent a novel technique in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM).
  • They are designed to enhance image quality by improving contrast and signal-to-noise ratio.
  • This is particularly beneficial for imaging radiation-sensitive biological specimens.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of the current status of phase plate technology in cryo-EM.
  • To discuss the benefits and challenges associated with thin film phase plates.
  • To explore future directions and instrumentation requirements for phase plate applications.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current phase plate technologies and their application in biological imaging.
  • Analysis of performance benefits in single particle analysis and cryo-tomography.
  • Discussion of instrumentation requirements and experimental procedures.

Main Results:

  • Thin film phase plates show demonstrated benefits for single particle analysis and cryo-tomography.
  • Key challenges include manufacturing reliability and long-term performance stability.
  • Several alternative phase plate designs are under development.

Conclusions:

  • Phase plates offer significant potential for advancing cryo-electron microscopy.
  • Further development is needed to overcome current limitations in manufacturing and durability.
  • Future advancements promise broader availability and application in biological research.